Divisions have emerged among Christian leaders in Northern Nigeria following the adoption of a new identity by a group operating across the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory.
At a two-day stakeholders’ meeting in Kaduna, chairmen from the northern states, alongside secretaries and representatives of youth and women’s wings, announced the unveiling of the “Forum of Northern Christians”, also referred to as the Northern Christian Association. Organisers described the step as a clarification of mandate and a reinforcement of their foundational voice.
The development has, however, generated controversy within the broader Christian community. The body previously operated under the name “Northern CAN”, a designation some leaders said created ambiguity regarding its relationship with the national Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).
During a broadcast conversation monitored by Arise News, the Executive Secretary of Northern CAN, Elder Sunday Oibe, rejected the legitimacy of the rebranding exercise and alleged that the process lacked consultation with key stakeholders.
“In the first place like you rightly said there was no consultation some group of person decided to meet and they said they have adopted the name and which they call northern Christian association,” he said.
Providing historical context, Oibe explained that the northern Christian platform predated the formation of CAN as a national body. According to him, northern Christian leaders initially operated under a regional structure before merging with their southern counterparts to form CAN. He maintained that the regional identity subsequently evolved into Northern CAN in alignment with the national body.
He stated that surviving founding members were not consulted before the recent change. “He said that nobody can steal your intellectual knowledge and begin to use it that they were not consulted that to him that is fraud that is criminality,” Oibe said, referring to one of the elderly leaders he claimed still holds original documentation.
The Executive Secretary further accused a faction led by Engineer Salifu and Reverend John Joseph Hayab of instigating what he termed a “religious coup” on 25 February 2025. “When they carry out this religious school on the 22 25th of February 2025,” he said, “some people were part of this school decide to see the light and they say no that is not the way to go.”
He alleged that internal disputes escalated after comments relating to insecurity and claims of genocide against Christians in Northern Nigeria. “He was among the people who denied there was no genocide of Christian in the in the northern Nigeria,” Oibe said, referencing past public statements.
Oibe also questioned the motives behind the rebranding, suggesting political undertones ahead of the 2027 general elections. “And the reason for all of this they are doing simply put is because of 2027 because their trade in stock is to use a platform to advocate so that the politician will patronize them pure and simple there's nothing more than that it is all about 2027,” he alleged.
He insisted that Northern CAN has traditionally aligned its positions with the national body and has not acted independently of CAN’s authority. “What the northern Khan who were part of the people who gave back to what we call Christian of Nigeria do today is that we never take a stand against the national body. Anything the national body said, we give not to it. Anytime there is issue that are regional, we address it,” he said.
While declining to pre-empt any decision by CAN’s national leadership, Oibe indicated that consultations were ongoing and that further steps could follow. “Reverend pal like he said we will not go against the division of the national but if even as painful as it is we are consulting on what to do,” he stated.
He added: “We will expose them to this politician and we used to use this med to call presidentu some of his political government doesn't do wickedness but some of his political appointees who are funding the movement of these people they should stop causing division in the body of Christ because at a proper time we're going to expose them.”
As of the time of filing this report, representatives of the newly announced Forum of Northern Christians had maintained that the move does not constitute a breakaway from CAN but rather a return to historical roots intended to remove confusion surrounding the Northern CAN label.
The national leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria is yet to issue a formal position on the dispute.