Bandits Attacking Christians to Provoke Anger in Nigeria — CAN Chairman Hayab

By: Abudu Olalekan

Northern CAN Chairman Joseph Hayab speaks on the Kaduna kidnapping, government denial, and the deliberate targeting of Christians by bandits in Nigeria.

It started like a script from a bad movie. A really bad one. 177 worshippers were taken. Just like that. In Kurmin Wali, Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, families were left empty. But the government officials said it didn’t happen. They denied it.

This denial is what Reverend Joseph John Hayab finds most disturbing. He is the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) for Northern Nigeria. Speaking to reporters, he didn’t mince words. He called the whole situation a “drama.”

The confusion was thick. When news broke that bandits had stormed the community, anxiety spiked. But almost immediately, official statements came out claiming the report was false.

“The truth is that their denial was one of the funniest things I have heard in a long time,” Hayab said, shaking his head. “It was surprising. It was like a movie playing out before me.”

He wasn’t speaking from a place of ignorance. He knew what was happening on the ground.

“I got wind of the incident soon after it happened,” he explained. “But I didn’t talk immediately. I waited. For 24 hours, I was on the telephone. I was making calls to the community. I wanted to be sure.”

He tracked the numbers. He spoke to the families. Throughout that period, nobody on the ground said it was a lie. Everyone knew the people were gone. So, why did the government change the narrative?

Hayab recounts a specific moment that baffled him. The local government chairman actually visited the community in the morning. He saw the situation. He promised to return. But instead, he went to town and declared that nothing happened.

“That was why I said it was the drama of the century,” Hayab noted.

Information flows differently these days. Hayab received texts. About seven messages flooded his phone, each from different sources giving updates. One of his main sources is a CAN representative he has worked with for over 10 years.

“The last thing such a person would do is call me to tell a lie,” he said. “Especially about an incident of this magnitude. That is why I felt it was just a game by government officials.”

He pitied the country at that moment. He laughed, but it was a laugh of pain.

Reportersroom gathered that the media also played a role in this confusion. An editor of a famous newspaper wrote a headline saying “CAN Lied.”

“I simply couldn’t understand it,” Hayab lamented. “These are the problems we have. The problems in our country is often caused by elites, not the common man. If an editor can boldly write that CAN lied on a sensitive matter, it is disturbing.”

Now that the truth is out, there is no apology. The editor hasn’t said “CAN Vindicated.” It shows how low things have sunk.

Eventually, the police recanted. They admitted the incident happened. Hayab gives credit to the Inspector-General of Police.

“I love the position of the IG,” he said. “He took up the matter. He said let’s address it nationally.”

Even the Kaduna State Police Command has stepped up. They realized their mistake. They are now working to fix it.

But why is this happening? Is it just random crime? Hayab thinks there is more to it. He believes these bandits are attacking Christians for a specific reason.

“These people are deliberately attacking us to provoke anger,” he stated firmly. “They want to cause confusion in the land. They know if they touch Christians, there will be reactions.”

It is a tactic to create chaos. It is a strategy to make the country ungovernable.

Regarding the comments by former US President Donald Trump about Christians facing an existential threat, Hayab chose not to play politics.

“I don’t want to politicise this. We have been facing persecution long before Trump spoke. But truly, those who ignored our cries are now seeing what we suffer.”

The situation remains critical. The bandits have made contact. They have called to know who they will be negotiating with.

“All efforts are towards ensuring the security agencies do their job,” Hayab concluded. “We will play our role. But the government need to step up. Whoever inflicts pain on citizens must know that there is a government in place.”

For now, the families in Kajuru waits. The church prays. And the country watches to see if this “drama” will have a resolution or if it will just be another tragic episode in a long series of attacks.