ABUJA — The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has strongly condemned Tuesday’s fatal attack on worshippers at Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku, Kwara State, describing it as a painful escalation in the wave of violence targeting Christian communities.
In a statement issued Thursday, CAN President Archbishop Daniel Okoh called the assault — which left two worshippers dead and several others, including the pastor, abducted — “a heartbreaking reminder of the growing insecurity facing Christian communities across the country.”
Okoh extended the Association’s solidarity to the bereaved families, the injured, and the Eruku community, stressing that “their pain is our collective pain.”
The umbrella Christian body highlighted what it described as a disturbing pattern of repeated attacks on Christian populations in vulnerable areas, an issue it has repeatedly brought to the attention of both Nigerian authorities and the international community.
CAN urged security agencies to spare no effort in rescuing the abducted worshippers and ensuring the perpetrators are swiftly brought to justice. It also called for a transparent investigation to identify and address any security lapses that allowed the attack to occur.
Beyond immediate rescue operations, the Association demanded urgent medical, psychological and material support for affected families, alongside stronger, long-term measures to protect places of worship in high-risk zones.
Archbishop Okoh appealed for calm among the Christian community and urged religious, traditional and community leaders to discourage any form of reprisal, emphasising that efforts must remain focused on justice, healing and peace.
“We will continue to monitor developments closely and engage with authorities and partners to ensure the victims of the Eruku attack receive justice and that Christian communities across Nigeria are better protected,” the statement concluded.
The attack in Eruku, the third in the area within weeks, has intensified calls for a comprehensive national strategy to tackle banditry and violent extremism in the North-Central region.
