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…Say Christians are 45.7 percent of the population in the state
From John Adams, Minna
Christian leaders in Niger state have once again made a strong demand for equal representation in the affairs of the state, saying that the continued marginalization of Christians is no longer acceptable.
The Christian leaders said this had become necessary because the population of Christians in the state demands that there should be equal representation in the affairs of state, especially political appointments.
Addressing a press conference in Minna on Sunday, the Chairman Nigerian Christian Youths in Politics, Niger state Chapter, Evangelist Markus Salka pointed out that out of 7,478,417 estimated population of the state, Christians are 3, 417,636 representing 45.7 per cent of the population.
Supported by his Secretary Barde Jesse, the CAN leaders disclosed that after gathering all available data, Christians are 45.7 per cent, compared to 46.1 per cent of Muslim and 8.2 per cent for the other religion in the State.
While citing targeted insecurity and displacement of Christians as factors that have altered the distribution of Christian communities in the state, the CAN leaders maintained that this statistics were arrived at following the reports of a committee that was set up by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Niger State chapter to take statistics of Christians in the state.
Evangelist Marcus Salka stated that the essence of the data was to correct what it described as inaccurate projections of the Christian population in the state, particularly those circulating on social media.
According to him, the 2006 population census for the state was 3,950,249 for Niger State, comprised of 2,032,725 males and 1,917,524 females.
Salka noted that, Nigeria’s last official population census however did not include religious affiliation, making the 45.7 per cent figure an estimate based on available demographic projections, surveys and research carried out since 2025.
Accordingly, he said “the estimation was derived from the 2025 projected population of 7,478,417 for Niger State by the Niger state Bureau of Statistics, thereby putting the Christian population at approximately 3,417,636.
“The size of the Christian population should not be judged by the level of participation in active politics.
“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 cannot, and we will never keep quiet and then allow those who do not know our population to project or assume figures for us for selfish interests”, Salka added.
He also linked changes in the distribution of Christian communities to prolonged insecurity, especially in Christian dominated parts of the state.
The Christian leaders specifically made reference to local government areas like Shiroro, Munya, Paikoro, Rafi, Wushishi and Magama, claiming that continue attacks by terrorists had led to deaths and displacement of residents from communities with significant Christian populations.
To this end, he alleged that some Christians had been forced to relocate while others were killed, describing the development as a factor that had affected the demographic distribution of Christians.
“Following the incessant insecurity in Christian-dominated local government areas, especially Shiroro, Munya, Paikoro, Rafi, Wushishi, Magama and others, majority of our people were killed, others relocated,” he said.
He further alleged that the displacement was part of a deliberate attempt to reduce the Christian population in affected communities.
The group said, despite the displacement, Christians remained present across both rural and urban communities in the state.
He said the population had increased substantially, citing the 2025 state projection of 7,478,417, comprising 3,790,197 males and 3,688,220 females.
The chairman stated that Christians were spread across the state’s 25 local government areas and represented by Catholic, Anglican, Methodist, Baptist, Pentecostal, Evangelical and African Instituted churches, among others.
The Christian blocs identified by the group included the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Christian Council of Nigeria, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Organisation of African Instituted Churches, TEKAN and ECWA- related fellowships.
He then vowed that the Committee would continue to challenge what it considers inaccurate representations of the Christian population in Niger State.
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