The Christian Association of Nigeria has called on churches across the country to mark the Christmas season with hope, wisdom, and heightened security consciousness amid Nigeria’s lingering economic and security challenges.
In a Christmas message issued on Wednesday and signed by its President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, CAN urged churches, particularly those in conflict-prone areas, to take practical steps to ensure the safety of worshippers.
“As we mark the celebration of the birth of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, I warmly extend Christmas greetings to Christians across Nigeria and to all people of goodwill,” Okoh said.
He encouraged Christian leaders and congregations to exercise vigilance and a deep sense of responsibility during worship, stressing that “the protection of human life is sacred and must remain paramount.”
Churches in areas with inadequate security presence were advised to consider holding services in safer locations or organising smaller gatherings that can be better protected.
“This counsel is offered in love and care, not in fear, as we are called to be wise stewards of the lives God has entrusted to us,” Okoh said.
In December 2023, gunmen killed over 140 Plateau State villagers in a Christmas Even attack.
Okoh, on Wednesday, appealed to security agencies to step up their presence around churches and other places of worship during the Christmas period, encouraging closer collaboration between religious bodies and law enforcement authorities to ensure peaceful celebrations.
He noted that the birth of Jesus Christ remains a reminder of God’s abiding love and the triumph of light over darkness, urging Christians to live out core values such as love, peace, patience, sacrifice, and compassion.
“Even in the face of economic difficulties and security concerns confronting our nation, the birth of Christ reassures us that God has not abandoned His people and that hope remains alive,” Okoh said.
The CAN president also called on Nigerians to remember those grieving, displaced, or affected by violence and hardship across the country, urging citizens to renew their commitment to peace, justice, and unity.
“United by our shared humanity and common destiny, we must renew our commitment to peaceful coexistence, mutual respect, and national cohesion, mindful that Nigeria is our only home,” he added.
Okoh concluded by praying for renewed faith, healing, and lasting peace for Nigeria in the coming year, wishing Christians and all Nigerians a Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year.
