Jos, Nigeria – August 29, 2025
Christian youths from Benue, Southern Bauchi, Southern Kaduna, and Plateau State have issued a strong call for urgent government intervention in what they described as coordinated attacks, displacement, and religious persecution of indigenous Christian communities across the Middle Belt.
The coalition, comprising leaders from the Universal Reformed Christian Church (NKST), Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN), Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), and the Youth Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (YOWICAN), addressed a joint press conference on Friday where they condemned the killings, destruction of farmlands, and forceful occupation of ancestral lands in the region.
According to the youths, the violence is often misrepresented as farmers-herders clashes, communal disputes, or attacks by “unknown gunmen.” They argued that such descriptions mask the true nature of the crisis, which they insisted amounts to a deliberate campaign of ethnic cleansing and religious persecution.
“We are disturbed by the continuous killings and destruction in our communities. Bullets and machetes do not recognize denominational boundaries. Catholic, Anglican, ECWA, COCIN, NKST—all are targets,” the statement read.
The youths said many victims had been killed, displaced, kidnapped, or subjected to rape and abduction, while minors were being forcefully converted. They also pointed to systemic discrimination, citing the denial of civil service opportunities, refusal to implement gazetted chiefdoms such as the Zaar Chiefdom in Bauchi State, and imposition of non-indigenous leaders on Christian-majority communities.
Their Demands
The coalition outlined a series of demands they believe are critical to restoring peace and justice in the Middle Belt:
1. Recognition of the true nature of the crisis – Rejecting the narrative of “farmers-herders clashes” and naming the violence for what it is: deliberate ethnic cleansing.
2. Return of displaced persons – Immediate and permanent return of displaced Christians to their ancestral homes, not mere resettlement.
3. Land rights – Issuance of Certificates of Occupancy to displaced persons over their ancestral lands to affirm their legal titles.
4. Farmers’ rights – Legal protection for farmers to cultivate their farmlands without harassment from cattle herders.
5. Disarmament of attackers – Government action to seize sophisticated weapons from extremists to prevent communities from resorting to armed self-defense.
6. Justice and accountability – Arrest and prosecution of perpetrators, stressing that “they are not spirits.”
7. Security reform – Impartial and professional conduct by security forces in protecting lives and property without religious bias.
8. Speedy trials – Immediate trials for indigenous Christian youths detained by security agencies.
9. Equitable governance – Equal distribution of state resources and opportunities regardless of religion.
10. Respect for traditional authority – Recognition of the right of Zaar people in Bauchi State to freely choose their chief without imposition.
11. Security architecture review – Strengthening community policing to restore confidence in security agencies.
The youths cautioned that continued silence and politicization of the crisis could worsen instability in the country.
“Meeting these demands will restore the faith of our people in the Nigerian State and demonstrate that government is committed to justice, which is fundamental to peace,” they declared.
