Religious Persecution Claims Escalate in Nigeria Amidst Calls for 'Country of Particular Concern' Designation

Claims of escalating religious persecution against Christian communities in Nigeria have intensified, drawing international attention and prompting legislative action in the United States. Reports highlight a significant number of attacks on churches and killings of Christians, while the Nigerian government maintains that insecurity affects all citizens, regardless of faith.

Escalation of Violence and Documented Reports

Various organizations have documented a severe increase in violence targeting Christian communities across Nigeria. The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) reported that over 7,000 Christians were killed in the first 220 days of 2025 alone, averaging 32 deaths per day. Since 2009, Intersociety estimates approximately 125,000 Christians and 60,000 'liberal Muslims' have been killed, with nearly 19,100 churches attacked, looted, or shuttered. This equates to roughly 100 churches per month or more than three per day.

Another organization, Open Doors, reported that between October 2022 and September 2023, 4,118 Christians were killed, 3,300 abducted, and 100,000 internally displaced in the country. The violence is primarily attributed to extremist groups such as Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), and radicalized Fulani herdsmen. While historically concentrated in the northern, Muslim-majority states, these attacks have increasingly spread to Nigeria's Middle Belt and even further south.

Senator Cruz's Legislative Push and US Policy

In response to these reports, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) introduced the 'Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025' (S.2747) in September 2025. The proposed legislation aims to compel the U.S. Secretary of State to designate Nigeria as a 'Country of Particular Concern (CPC)' for engaging in or tolerating severe violations of religious freedom. The bill also seeks to impose targeted sanctions, including travel bans and asset freezes, on Nigerian officials found to be facilitating religious violence or enforcing sharia and blasphemy laws. Additionally, it mandates that Boko Haram and ISIS-West Africa remain designated as 'Entities of Particular Concern'.

Senator Cruz has cited what he describes as 'mass murder' of Christians and their forced submission to sharia and blasphemy laws as reasons for his legislative efforts. Nigeria was previously designated a CPC in 2020 but was removed from the list in 2021 by the Biden administration, a move some observers interpreted as an effort to improve US-Nigeria relations.

Nigerian Government's Rebuttal and Analyst Perspectives

The Nigerian government has vehemently rejected the allegations of 'Christian genocide' and any systematic targeting of Christians. Information Minister Idris Muhammed stated that 'There is no systematic, intentional attempt either by the Nigerian government or by any serious group to target a particular religion.' The government argues that terrorist groups indiscriminately target people of all faiths, and that both Muslims and Christians have been victims of insecurity, which also stems from farmer-herder conflicts, communal rivalries, and ethnic clashes.

The Nigerian Senate has also taken action, introducing a motion to address what it calls 'misconceptions regarding the purported 'Christian Genocide' narrative.' Some analysts support the government's stance, noting that many attacks occur in Nigeria's Muslim-majority north, where Muslims constitute the majority of casualties. Joseph Hayab, former chairperson of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Kaduna state, has also rejected claims of 'Christian genocide,' suggesting that conditions have improved in some areas.