CAN alleges depopulation plot

Marcus Salko (left) and his secretary

The Christian Statistics Committee  has alleged that terrorists killed many residents in Christian dominated local government areas of Niger State to depopulate the faithful.

The committee also stressed that the population of Christians in the state was more than half of the state’s population contrary to figures being branded in some quarters.

The chairman of the committee Marcus Salka made this known in a statement wherein he said that the Christian population of Niger State stands at 45.7 per cent according to the Niger State Bureau of Statistics.

Salka said the aim of making this known is to correct the wrong projection of the Christian population making the rounds in the social media, stressing that such comments in the state that Christians do not participate in politics because of its population ratio is wrong.

The Christians Statistics Committee was set up by the Niger State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria to set the records of the Christian population in the straight.

He remarked, “We are here to correct a wrong projection in some quarters, especially on the social media space and to set the records straight for future guidance.

“Christians are known for applying peaceful and coordinated approaches to germane issues of repute and we will not succumb to, or allow any individual, or group to downplay the population of Christians in Niger State.

“That some Christians do not participate in active politics does not mean we do not have the number. Christians make up a significant population in Niger State. We comprise approximately 45.7 per cent of the state’s total population.

“For the records, Nigeria did not include religious affiliation in the last official census figures for reasons best known to them, however, demographic data estimates were relied on through regional surveys and research groups.

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“It should be noted that Niger State features 25 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and the population according to Nigeria Governors Forum (2024 data) is largely rural (roughly 5.5 million) compared to the urban population (roughly 1.7 million). The most populous LGAs include Suleja, Minna, Kontagora, Bida and Mokwa,” he maintained.

Continuing, Salka insisted, “According to the 2025 edition of the Niger State Bureau of Statistics, the state population is projected to be 7,478,417. Males are put at 3,790,197 while females are projected to be 3,688,220.”

The CAN committee chairman further clarified that the large number of Christian denominations with presence in the rural and urban areas have given rise to the large population of Christians.

“By the 2006 census, the state’s population was 3,950,249 comprising 2,032,725 males and 1,917,524 females. These represent the proportional share of 51.5 per cent for males and 48.5 per cent for females respectively. As opposed to a national annual growth rate of 3.2 per cent, Niger State according to the National Bureau of Statistics grows at 3.4% annually.

“As at 2006, our population was well over fifty percent, but following the incessant insecurity in Christian dominated local government areas, especially Shiroro, Munya, Paikoro, Rafi, Wushishi, Magama, etc, majority of our people were killed, others relocated and this obviously was strategic to depopulate our people.

“With the information we gathered so far, the demographic breakdown of Christianity is about  46 per cent and are primarily concentrated in both the rural and urban areas and among indigenous ethnic groups, especially in the southern and western local government areas.

“The demographic data puts Christians at 45.7 per cent and the other two religions at about 46.1 per cent and 8.2 per cent respectively; which are predominantly represented across the northern and central regions of the state.

“With the above submission, we can not, and we will never keep quiet to allow those who do not know our population to project or assume figures for us for selfish interests,” Salka declared.