Referendum Only Path to End Worsening Attacks on Christians in Nigeria — OYC President

“Ohanaeze Youth Council President, Comrade Igboayaka O. Igboayaka, has warned that Nigeria risks deeper instability unless a national referendum is conducted, alleging that coordinated attacks on Christian communities are worsening across the country. Read full details of his RFI interview.”

The National President of the Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC), Comrade Igboayaka O. Igboayaka, has alleged that the persistent attacks on Christian communities in parts of Nigeria amount to a “well-coordinated jihadist campaign” orchestrated by extremist elements within and outside the country.

Speaking during a press interview with Radio France International (RFI) on Sunday, 30 November 2025, and anchored by international broadcaster Christina Okello, Igboayaka argued that the killings “cannot be effectively addressed without a national conversation on a referendum and the restructuring of Nigeria’s coexistence framework.”

According to him, the continued targeting of Christian populations aligns with what he described as the “historic prophecy” attributed to Usman Dan Fodio, which he interpreted as a vision of expanding Islamic influence in the region. He described the situation as a “project of domination, ethnic cleansing, and religious persecution,” insisting that the pattern of attacks signals a deliberate campaign rather than isolated violence.

“The only viable long-term solution to halt the decades-long attacks on Christians in Nigeria is the immediate facilitation of a referendum that allows Nigerians to redefine how they wish to coexist within the federation,”
Igboayaka stated.

The OYC President claimed that the violence takes different forms across the country. In the South-East, he alleged that operations previously carried out under military initiatives such as “Operation Python Dance” were used to mask attacks on Christian populations while presenting them as efforts to counter the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). He further claimed that criminal groups, including suspected herdsmen and armed bandits, were responsible for attacks on rural communities and churches.

In the South-West, Igboayaka alleged that church attacks, land invasions, and community violence have intensified, while in the Middle Belt, he described the situation as “a daily feast of blood,” where massacres have become routine.

He argued that Nigeria is “drifting toward state failure” under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, claiming that the government has not shown sufficient urgency in addressing the upsurge in violence.

“Christian communities in southern and northern Nigeria must rise and demand a referendum. Without it, the country risks remaining trapped in unending bloodshed,”
Igboayaka cautioned, adding that the killings persisted under former President Muhammadu Buhari and have allegedly worsened under the current administration.