Youths under the banner of the Concerned Christian Youth Forum (CCYF) staged a peaceful protest at the Unity Fountain in Abuja on Wednesday, decrying what they described as persistent and coordinated cyber attacks on Christian religious leaders in Nigeria.
The protesters, armed with placards bearing messages such as “Stop Online Bullying of Pastors”;; and “Respect Religious Freedom,”;; expressed concern over what they termed a growing wave of online defamation, hate speech and character assassination targeting prominent men of God.
Speaking during the protest, the group’s convener, Adama James Paul, condemned what he described as the increasing trend of “dragging”;; Christian leaders on social media platforms by content creators and activists.
He noted that the attacks were not isolated incidents, but rather part of a “larger, well-funded campaign”;; to discredit Christian faith and its representatives.
“We are deeply disturbed by the persistent campaign of defamation and slander being waged against our faith and its representatives,”;; Paul said.
“These online bullies represent a dangerous form of discrimination that cannot be tolerated in a democracy that values religious freedom and diversity.”;;
The group specifically called out activist Omoyele Sowore and his alleged collaborators, accusing them of attempting to incite religious conflict in the country.
“Our investigation has revealed that these attacks are part of a deliberate attempt to undermine our unity and sow seeds of discord among different faith denominations,”;; Paul alleged.
The CCYF urged the Nigerian government, media and civil society to take a stand against what they described as religious intolerance in the digital space. They also called on Nigerians of all faiths to reject attempts to polarize the nation along religious lines.
In a separate message of commendation, the group applauded the Federal Government’s recent launch of the Forest Guard initiative, which is aimed at curbing insecurity across rural areas. The group praised the move as a proactive step toward enhancing community safety.
“The creation of this force is a step in the right direction,”;; the group said, “but we stress the importance of equipping these guards with the tools and resources they need to confront armed criminals hiding in our bushes.”;;
