Tinubu gov’t has ended persecution of Northern Christians – CAN chair
The Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the North, Rev. Yakubu Pam, has stated that Christians in northern Nigeria are experiencing improved conditions under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Pam noted that incidents of Christian persecution in the region have declined since Tinubu assumed office in 2023. His remarks come just days after he commended the administration for promoting inclusive governance.
Speaking on Arise TV’s The Morning Show on Wednesday, January 29, 2025, Pam acknowledged that while Christian persecution has not completely ended, its frequency has reduced significantly.
He highlighted specific improvements, including a decrease in discrimination against Christians seeking to purchase land for church buildings and a reduction in the forced conversion and marriage of young Christian girls.
“There’s still persecution of Christians going on. It is relatively better under this administration, but it is still ongoing. I’m not saying it has stopped, but it’s much better,” Pam said.
The CAN chairman reiterated these concerns at a press conference in Kaduna, where he previously spoke about challenges such as land restrictions for church construction and cases of forced marriages and conversions.
Despite his initial reservations about Tinubu’s Muslim-Muslim ticket, Pam praised the president for showing “reasonable inclusiveness” in governance.
Speaking after a meeting of the Northern CAN National Executive Committee (NEC) on Saturday, January 25, he emphasized the importance of representation.
“For me, the most important thing is an inclusive government. Even with the Muslim-Muslim ticket, we have seen reasonable inclusiveness,” he said.
However, he maintained that Northern Christians would like to be considered for the vice-presidential position in 2027 if Tinubu decides to replace Vice President Kashim Shettima.
