The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has cleared the air on its recent meeting with the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, following reports that misrepresented its position on alleged “Christian genocide” in the country.

The meeting, held at the CAN Secretariat in Abuja, was aimed at discussing the global reaction to comments made by U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, who described the killings of Christians in Nigeria as a genocide.

According to CAN, Bwala had stated that both Christians and Muslims have suffered from insecurity and that the current administration was working to solve the problem. However, CAN said it made its position very clear during the meeting — that Christian communities in Northern Nigeria and the Middle Belt have faced sustained and coordinated attacks for years. The association noted that thousands have been killed and displaced without justice.

The Christian body, however, expressed shock over a statement allegedly released by Bwala titled “Presidency Debunks Western Christian Genocide Narrative in Dialogue with CAN Leadership.” CAN said the publication falsely claimed that its President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, dismissed reports of Christian killings by calling them a “so-called Christian genocide.”

Archbishop Okoh firmly denied the report, describing it as false, misleading, and insensitive. He said, “At no point during the meeting did I use such words. Referring to the tragedy as a ‘so-called genocide’ trivialises the pain of thousands of Christians who have lost loved ones and homes.” CAN reaffirmed that it has documented verified data showing consistent and targeted attacks against Christians across Nigeria and Africa.

The association called on the Federal Government and security agencies to act urgently and ensure justice for the victims. It also advised government officials and media professionals to communicate with empathy and responsibility to avoid worsening existing tensions.