For another consecutive year, Nigeria has been identified as the most dangerous place in the world for Christians, according to the 2025 Global Persecution Index. The situation is dire. Over the last twenty years, at least 50,000 Christians have been killed in Nigeria. Many more have been forced to leave their homes as violence erupts, with villages burned and churches attacked.
This persecution is not random; it is systematic and escalating. Christians, especially in northern and central Nigeria, face ongoing violence from groups like Boko Haram, the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP), and notably, the Fulani herdsmen. These herdsmen, once known primarily as nomadic cattle farmers, have become a significant threat to Christian communities. They are heavily armed and conduct attacks with military-like precision, often striking at night, setting homes ablaze, and targeting churches during services.
The Nigerian government’s response has been inadequate. Security forces often arrive late or not at all, and reports have surfaced of police watching as attacks unfold. In some instances, Christian communities that attempted to defend themselves were disarmed by the authorities, leaving them vulnerable. Arrests and convictions for these violent acts are extremely rare.
President Bola Tinubu has not strayed from the path of his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, offering weak condemnations and vague promises without substantial action. Officials sometimes downplay the violence, framing it as a simple “farmer-herder conflict” linked to climate change, which ignores the underlying religious motivations of the attacks.
Despite the overwhelming evidence of targeted violence against Christians, international responses have been muted. In 2021, Nigeria was removed from the U.S. State Department’s list of “Countries of Particular Concern,” even as violence intensified. The media coverage is sparse, often treating the crisis as a regional issue rather than a severe case of religious persecution.
The lack of action from Western governments and organizations may stem from Nigeria’s strategic importance. As Africa’s most populous country and a major oil exporter, acknowledging the full extent of Christian persecution could lead to calls for military or economic interventions that many leaders seem unwilling to pursue.
The plight of Christians in Nigeria is part of a larger trend across Africa, where radical Islamism and weak governance are leading to increased violence against religious minorities. In countries like Burkina Faso, Mozambique, Ethiopia, and Kenya, similar patterns of persecution are emerging, with Christians facing threats, abductions, and killings.
If no serious measures are taken, the future for many Christian communities in Africa looks bleak. The question remains whether the global community will recognize this ongoing tragedy before it is too late.