By Abdullahi Alhassan
Makurdi, July 2026
The Northern Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has distributed relief materials to over 1,000 vulnerable families affected by insecurity and communal violence in Benue State, with special focus on victims of the Yelwata attack.
The humanitarian outreach, held in Makurdi, was led by the Chairman of Northern CAN, Rev. Joseph John Hayab, as part of efforts to provide urgent support to communities devastated by violent attacks across the state.
Relief items distributed to beneficiaries included bags of rice, beans, maize and garri, as well as palm oil and other food seasonings aimed at addressing immediate food needs of affected households.
Speaking during the exercise, Rev. Hayab said the intervention was deliberately targeted at families directly impacted by killings, displacement and destruction of property, stressing that the church must stand in solidarity with victims of violence.
According to him, the Makurdi outreach forms part of a broader humanitarian programme of Northern CAN across several northern states, including Kaduna, Plateau, Borno and Benue, with more vulnerable communities expected to benefit.
He maintained that no Nigerian should lose their life on account of their faith, adding that the church would continue to speak against violence while offering practical support to affected communities.
The Deputy Chairman of CAN in Benue State, Rev. Jonathan Ugbede, described the outreach as historic, thanking the leadership of Northern CAN and the Barnabas Aid Foundation for their support to victims of insecurity in the state.
Also speaking, Pastor Thomas Okwe Ahutu of Good News Baptist Church, Yelwata, said the attack on the community disrupted daily activities, forcing residents to live in fear and limiting farming, movement and worship.
One of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Esther Zeko, expressed appreciation to Northern CAN and the Barnabas Aid Foundation, describing the intervention as timely, while Northern CAN reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining humanitarian and advocacy efforts across northern Nigeria.
