Christians in Nigeria are becoming modern-day martyrs. People of faith should increase our voices to respond to their plight.
I read the account of a terrible terrorist attack on 13 June, where more than 200 Christians were slaughtered in Yiwalata, Nigeria, while I was taking a break in a local pool with my youngest son. According to a report“The body of a boy, at the age of about 6 or 7, was flat on his back, his shirt was open in the blood. His killer left a giant gush on his face and head. His left hand was loose in folded; his right hand was completely dissected.” My son is not as bigger than the boy described in the picture.
I was shaken to my core. I am uncertain whether the young martyr’s mother survived the attackers. If he is one of the remaining people, he will need to attract his faith deeply to take care of the son he lost.
Yiwalata is just a recent example of oppression of Christians in Nigeria. The half -century Christians were killed in a Phulani raid two weeks ago. One of the attacks was the Catholic bishop Wilfred at the hometown of Anagbe, which was recently Testified Before the US Congress, about the atrocities in his state. Above 170 Christians Nigeria’s middle belt was killed earlier this year during Lent and Holi Week. Last week, there were three young Catholic seminars Abduction At the tip of the gun in their madrasa, more evidence of growing Targeted attack On priests and seminars.
Open the doorChristian Relief Agency, Nigeria includes the worst affected countriesWorld Clock List, Stating that more than 3,000 Christians were killed in 2024 and more than 2,000 were abducted. In addition, a large number of Christians in Nigeria have been operated from their homes with violence and conflict and now live in displacement camps.
Pope Leo XIV, Who Visited Nigeria Many times as General of St. Augustine’s order, Prayed for victims of “terrible massacre” The next Sunday during his Angelus prayer at St. Peter Square in Yivalta. Bishop’s United States Catholic Conference similarly “prayed to our brothers and sisters in Nigeria, who are suffering from violent religious conflicts” Religious freedom week Celebrated last month. Christian relief organizations are responding to a serious humanitarian crisis that is coming out.
World leaders should follow the suit. HappenVow to get rid of anti -Christian prejudice From the US federal government, President Trump and his administration are ready to fully lead.
International Religious Freedom Act of 1998The President gives the right to review the status of religious freedom in every country in the world and nominate every country, of which the government has tolerated “particularly serious violations” of “religious freedom” as “particularly concerned countries”.
This determination has been handed over to the Secretary of State by the President. While Nigeria was last listed as a country of special concern for its relations for religious freedom in 2020, it was bizarrely Dropped from the list By Biden Administration in 2021. Biden state department convicted Climate change Phulani Muslim nomadic flocks for rapid violent attacks against Christians by terrorists.
Congress should take action Proposed resolution Rape was released back in March by Chris Smith (RN.J.), on the chair of Africa, House Foreign Affairs subcommittee, Nigeria was called and called to nominated and approve as a country of special concern.
After the Yivalta massacre, US Commission on International Religious FreedomAn independent, bipartisan commission that monitors the universal right to freedom of religion or faith abroad, similarly Renewed Its call to the state department to nominate Nigeria especially a country of concern, “systematic, running and egoistic religious freedom violations.”
To intensify the confirmation of the pre-rip. Mark Walker (RN.C.) will help State Secretary Maro Rubio, who is a long -time lawyer for international religious freedom for international religious freedom as Ambassador to President Trump, guarantees that diplomatic relations with Nigeria are informed better than reality.
Terrorist Nigerian Christians deserve our attention and more. Given the increase in numbers and increasing vandalism of recent killings, I am afraid that the only designation is not enough. Maybe what is happening for Christians in Nigeria, there is a better label for this: the massacre.
The massacre has been declared in at least six other situations: Bosnia (1993); Rwanda (1994); Iraq (1995); Darfur (2004); In the control of the Islamic State (2016 and 2017), Yazidis in the Middle East regions, against Christians and Muslims; Against Uingur in Shinjiang region of China (2021); And Sudan (2025). More recent announcements include examples where non-state actors targeted the victims due to their religious identity-which is happening in Nigeria.
Although there are no specific or immediate required results that follow the declaration of genocide, it takes moral weight. An acceptance that violence against Christians in Nigeria has reached the level of massacre, may inspire the global response to humanitarian assistance, economic sanctions, diplomatic isolation and even intervention by the United Nations Security Council, not to mention action to prosecute individuals responsible by the international criminal court and the government.
The terrible, unavoidable truth is that in Nigeria, Christians are constantly being persecuted, abducted, tortured and killed for their faith. He is confident that what Jesus promised to those who have been persecuted because of their belief – “Your reward will be great in heaven.” If we keep quiet for their plight, then I tremble to wonder what we have qualifications.
Andrea is director of picciotti-bayerVivek Project.
