Northern CAN, Northern Christian Association Demand Urgent Action Over Plateau Killings

Northern CAN and the Northern Christian Association both condemn Plateau's renewed killings, including the death of a pastor and his secretary en route to church, warning Nigerians must not normalise violence.

Abuja — September 22-23, 2026

Two prominent Christian bodies, the Christian Association of Nigeria's Northern chapter (Northern CAN) and the Northern Christian Association (NCA), have separately condemned the renewed wave of killings in Plateau State, demanding urgent federal and state action following a weekend of coordinated attacks that killed at least 13 people.

Northern CAN Chairman Rev. Dr. Yakubu Pam, representing the association across all 19 northern states and the FCT, expressed "deep sadness and grave concern" over the persistent violence, describing the attacks as "senseless bloodshed and destruction." The intervention followed the Jos South, Mangu, and Riyom attacks this outlet has covered, in which victims included a pastor and his secretary killed while travelling to church at Dorowa Babuje. 

Northern CAN urged President Tinubu and the Plateau State Government to take firm action to end the violence, ensure prosecution of those responsible, and deploy additional security personnel to vulnerable communities.

The Northern Christian Association issued a parallel statement signed by National President Joseph John Hayab, warning that Nigerians must not become accustomed to violence. "Nigerians must not get used to killings. Every life matters," Hayab said, expressing concern over the frequency of attacks and what he described as a seeming lack of accountability for perpetrators. 

The NCA called on religious leaders nationwide to speak out against the violence and warned that normalising it would carry grave long-term consequences for the country.

The two statements add further weight to a rapidly expanding wave of religious and civic pressure on federal and state authorities, joining prior interventions from the Catholic Bishops' Conference, the Northern Senators Forum, and the Arewa Consultative Forum, all pointing to the same underlying demand: that Plateau's cycle of attacks be treated as a national emergency requiring sustained, coordinated action rather than another round of condolence statements.