The Catholic Youth Organisation of Nigeria (CYON) has distanced itself from a document circulating across social media platforms claiming to represent the views of Catholic youths on political neutrality, describing it as a forged publication intended to deceive the public.
The organisation said the document, which was dated August 4, 2026, and purportedly issued by a group identified as the “Catholic Youth Association of Nigeria (CYAN),” was entirely fabricated and did not originate from CYON or any recognised Catholic institution.
Titled “Our Faith Must Rise Above Partisan Politics,” the controversial document claimed that Catholic youths in Nigeria neither collectively endorsed any political party nor supported any presidential candidate. It further urged Catholic bishops and other Church leaders to refrain from making statements that could be interpreted as partisan political commentary.
However, CYON, in an official disclaimer issued on the same day, categorically rejected the publication, describing it as “false, fraudulent, unauthorised and a deliberate act of impersonation.”
The National Executive Council of the organisation said those behind the document deliberately created a fictitious organisation with the intention of misleading Nigerians and exploiting the credibility of the Catholic Church.
According to the council, there is no organisation known as the Catholic Youth Association of Nigeria (CYAN), stressing that the Catholic Youth Organisation of Nigeria remains the only nationally recognised umbrella body representing Catholic youths across the country.
“The publication did not originate from CYON and does not represent the position or official communication of the Organisation,” the council stated.
It further described the forged document as “a calculated attempt to mislead Nigerians, Catholic faithful and the general public” by falsely appropriating the identity and reputation of the organisation.
CYON also pointed out that every element used to give the fake publication an appearance of authenticity, including its letterhead, logo, contact details and organisational identity, was fabricated.
The organisation noted that the branding bore no resemblance to its official identity, while the contact information provided in the document was equally fraudulent.
Information circulating within Catholic circles indicated that the phone number listed on the forged letter could not be reached and has reportedly been traced to an individual identified as Sarah Ify, raising further questions about those responsible for the impersonation.
The emergence of the fake document comes amid heightened political debate following recent remarks by John Cardinal Onaiyekan after a meeting between members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria and President Bola Tinubu.
During the meeting, the bishops reportedly expressed concern over the country’s deteriorating economic conditions and persistent insecurity, urging government authorities to address the challenges confronting Nigerians.
Following the engagement, Cardinal Onaiyekan offered his personal assessment of the discussions in a media interview, comments that attracted criticism from supporters of the Presidency and members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), further intensifying political discourse surrounding the Church’s public interventions.
Against this backdrop, CYON maintained that it had not issued any statement on behalf of Catholic youths regarding the controversy and warned the public against attributing unofficial publications to the organisation.
The youth body reaffirmed its commitment to the teachings of the Catholic Church and pledged continued loyalty to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), insisting that its official positions are communicated only through authorised channels.
It urged Catholics, media organisations and members of the public to disregard the forged publication in its entirety and to verify information before sharing or relying on documents circulating online.
CYON declared the purported open letter “fake, fraudulent, unauthorised, null, void and of no effect whatsoever,” warning that it reserves the right to pursue legal action against those responsible for the alleged impersonation and dissemination of the forged document.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
CYON has urged Nigerians to disregard the circulating document, insisting it is a forged publication that does not represent the views of Catholic youths.
The organisation reaffirmed that it remains the only recognised Catholic youth body in Nigeria and warned that those responsible for the impersonation could face legal action.
