Christian youth coalition condemns Daniel Bwala over comments on alleged ‘Christian genocide’
A coalition of Christian youth organisations has strongly condemned recent comments by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, on the ‘Christian genocide’ in Nigeria.
On Monday, Bwala visited the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, at the association’s national secretariat in Abuja, the nation’s capital, amid the outcry over alleged Christian genocide in Nigeria and the move by some United States lawmakers to protect “persecuted” Christians.
In a statement released after the visit, Bwala said he told the CAN officials that Western media and US lawmakers are “responsible for painting an inaccurate picture” of the situation in Nigeria.
However, addressing a joint press conference on Monday in Abuja, representatives of the Concerned Christian Youth Forum, Odua Youth Democratic Congress, Middle Belt Youth Vanguard and Progressives Congress, and the South-East Congress for National Development accused Bwala of “misrepresenting” CAN after a meeting with its leadership.
According to the coalition, Bwala’s public claim that there is no genocide against Christians in Nigeria directly contradicts the position of CAN and undermines the documented experiences of victims across several states.
“It is unstatesmanly, unethical, and misleading for Daniel Bwala to attribute to CAN what was never said in their private meeting,” Adama James Paul, leader of the coalition, said.
“His comments amount to a deliberate misrepresentation and a gross distortion of the truth.”
The coalition alleged that the denial of targeted attacks on Christian communities, particularly in the North and Middle Belt regions, amounts to an attempt to erase years of documented atrocities.
They cited persistent killings, displacement, and destruction of communities in Benue, Plateau, Southern Kaduna, Taraba, and other Christian-dominated areas, which they described as “a sustained campaign of extermination and ethnic cleansing.”
Adama said, “It is unfortunate that Mr Bwala, who hails from Borno State, one of the worst-hit regions by Boko Haram’s insurgency, would deny the suffering and deaths of his own people. His comments are not only insensitive but also an insult to the memory of thousands who have lost their lives.”
The coalition further accused the presidential aide of seeking political relevance “at the expense of truth and justice”, adding that his actions have caused additional pain to survivors and displaced persons.
The groups called on all Christian leaders and Nigerians of goodwill to stand for truth and justice, urging political leaders to avoid statements that downplay or deny the realities of insecurity and targeted violence.
They, however, commended Nigeria’s security forces for their ongoing efforts to combat terrorism and restore peace across the country, while calling for sincerity and unity in addressing the root causes of violence.
“It is time for our nation to heal and move forward, but healing can only begin when truth is acknowledged, not denied,” the groups added.