Northern CAN Leadership, Barnabas Aid Wipe Tears, Restore Hope to Owo Church Attack Survivors and Gbalegi Communal Clash Victims
(Faith in action. Compassion at work. Unity in healing.)
In a rare demonstration of cross-regional solidarity, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Northern Nigeria, with the support of Barnabas Aid UK, has shown uncommon love by reaching out to victims of the St. Francis Catholic Church attack in Owo and survivors of the Gbalegi–Idanre communal clash.
This special report by Alaba Aliu of Democrat News Magazine captures the humanitarian activities of the Christian body from December 22, 2025, to February 9, 2026.
In practical fulfilment of the biblical injunction in James 1:27 — “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress…” — the leadership of CAN from the 19 Northern States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), in partnership with Barnabas Aid UK, brought renewed hope to victims of the June 5, 2022, St. Francis Catholic Church attack in Owo and survivors of the January 2024 Gbalegi communal clash in Idanre Local Government Area of Ondo State.
Through financial assistance and large-scale donations of food items, the Northern CAN delegation wiped tears and rekindled hope among hundreds of affected families who have lived with pain, displacement and hardship for years.
Massive Relief Package for About 1,000 Beneficiaries
The humanitarian intervention, valued in several millions of naira, provided each beneficiary household with essential food items including 25kg of rice, beans and garri, vegetable oil, palm oil, salt, sugar, seasoning cubes and tubers of yam. Special financial assistance was also set aside for critical cases requiring overseas plastic surgery.
About 1,000 victims across Owo and Gbalegi benefited from the programme, while severely injured survivors received additional medical attention.
The outreach formally began on December 22, 2025, when a high-powered delegation led by the Chairman of CAN in the 19 Northern States and FCT, Rev. Dr. John Joseph Hayab, paid a solidarity visit to St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo. The team mourned with bereaved families and distributed the first phase of relief materials in the spirit of Christmas.
Describing the church as sacred ground, Rev. Dr. Hayab recalled the horrifying attack on worshippers and said the visit symbolised love, fellowship and shared pain.
“We came to mourn with those who mourn and rejoice with those who rejoice,” he said, noting that the aged, widows and injured survivors were especially close to the hearts of the delegation.
He explained that the intervention was made possible through Barnabas Aid UK, an international Christian humanitarian organisation known for supporting persecuted believers. He stressed that unity among Christians remains vital for national peace, adding that the right to life and worship must be protected for all Nigerians.
Welcoming the delegation, the Chairman of CAN in Ondo State, Rev. Fr. Anselm Olorunfemi Ologunwa, described the visit as a powerful symbol of unity, stressing that the pain of Owo is the pain of the entire Body of Christ.
According to him, the presence of Northern CAN leadership sent a strong message that Christians across regions stand together against hatred, division and extremism.
Rev. Fr. Ologunwa noted that Nigeria continues to grapple with insurgency, banditry, farmer–herder conflicts and communal clashes, calling for collective advocacy for peace and justice. He commended Barnabas Aid UK and partners for restoring dignity to victims and strengthening healing and reconciliation efforts in affected communities.
He concluded by praying for grieving families, wisdom for national leaders and lasting peace across the country.
Gbalegi Also Touched by Compassion
On December 23, 2025, similar relief materials were distributed in Gbalegi community, Idanre Local Government Area, to victims of the January 2024 communal clash, elderly residents and persons living with disabilities.
Addressing the gathering, Rev. Fr. Ologunwa explained that the intervention was driven by compassion from Northern CAN leadership, revealing that deliberate efforts were made to locate Gbalegi to ensure no victim was left behind.
Responding on behalf of the community, the Baale and Central Chairman of Gbalegi, Mr. Agboola Rotimi, expressed deep gratitude, describing the support as timely and reassuring.
As follow-up to what had started in December, on Thursday, January 29, 2026, CAN Ondo State officially flagged off the second phase of distribution in Owo, handing over remaining items — including sugar, salt, Maggi, palm oil, vegetable oil, garri and beans — in fulfilment of Rev. Dr. Hayab’s earlier pledge.
Rev. Fr. Ologunwa emphasized that the gesture went beyond food.
“This is about healing wounds, restoring hope and reassuring victims that they are not forgotten by the Body of Christ,” he said, while appreciating Rev. Dr. Hayab, Northern CAN leadership and Barnabas Aid UK for their sincerity and faithfulness.
The atmosphere was filled with gratitude as beneficiaries offered heartfelt prayers for the donors.
The final batch of distribution took place in Gbalegi on Monday, February 9, 2026, with Rev. Dr. Hayab, Rev. Fr. Ologunwa and their teams present.
During home visits, survivors narrated their ordeals. Mrs. Olayinka Rasheedat Dapo, bedridden since the Owo attack, said she has lived in constant pain for over three years and requires overseas plastic surgery.
Another survivor, Mrs. Attah Olayemi Margaret, a nurse with the Ondo State Hospital Management Board, has been wheelchair-bound since the incident and appealed for mobility aids.
Other beneficiaries, including Mrs. Adedokun Titilayo, expressed heartfelt appreciation to CAN and Barnabas Aid UK for remembering them during the festive season.
Speaking in Gbalegi, Rev. Dr. Hayab revealed that Ondo was the only Southern State selected for the intervention, alongside Kaduna, Borno, Plateau and Benue, each receiving food supplies for about 1,000 households. He said Ondo’s inclusion was influenced by the Owo tragedy and recurring communal clashes in the Idanre–Akure axis.
Rev. Hayab urged stakeholders to address feelings of neglect and injustice that often fuel crises, calling on governments to pursue fairness, accountability and justice as foundations for lasting peace. He also commended Barnabas Aid for ensuring the distribution preserved beneficiaries’ dignity, describing the assistance as substantial rather than symbolic.
As the delegation concluded its mission with fervent prayers, Mr. Idowu Rufus, speaking on behalf of Ayadi Camp beneficiaries, expressed profound gratitude and prayed for continued blessings upon the organisers.
Beyond the relief materials lies a deeper lesson: true compassion is intentional, consistent and sacrificial. Northern CAN and Barnabas Aid did not merely issue statements; they showed up, crossed regional boundaries and followed through on their promises.
In a nation often divided by ethnicity, politics and religion, this intervention stands as a compelling example of what unity in action looks like. It reminds us that healing does not always begin in government offices — sometimes it starts with empathy, presence and shared responsibility.
This gesture should inspire faith bodies, corporate organisations, traditional institutions and well-meaning Nigerians to move from sympathy to service. If replicated across the country, countless vulnerable communities would regain hope, dignity and strength.
Indeed, in the midst of pain and tragedy, this remarkable intervention proves that love can triumph, unity can heal, and compassion can restore dignity.