We love verses like, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13). More difficult are verses like, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt 5:10) or “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” (Rom 8:36, citing Ps 44:22).
While persecution exists in many forms, including in the challenges Christians face in the US, the sheer scale of suffering in Nigeria calls for our immediate and special attention.[1]
So, what is going on in Nigeria in terms of the suffering of believers? And what is the Trump Administration doing with respect to this crisis?
Let’s answer the first question. There are very difficult places to be a Christian—China and North Korea top this list. Nigeria, however, is likely the deadliest place to be a Christian right now.
Since 2009, estimates indicate over 50,000–100,000 Christians killed, more than 18,000 churches destroyed, and millions displaced.[2] The violence has not slowed.[3] In the first nine months of 2025 alone, over 7,000 Christians were killed, with attacks including church burnings, kidnappings, and village raids.[4]
Now, for some background. Nigeria is a large country, about the size of Texas and New Mexico combined. Its population is huge, with approximately 237 million people, making it the most populous country in Africa. It is also an incredibly diverse country with over 250 ethnic groups and more than 500 languages. In terms of religious belief, it is a very divided country with approximately half the population in darkness under Islam and about half the population identifying as professed believers in Jesus.
Even some Muslims recognize the special suffering of Christians in Nigeria. A Muslim Nigerian by the name of Sa’adiyyah Adebisi Hassan has written the following:
Let’s be honest with ourselves. No emotion, no sentiment, just truth.
Yes, Muslims have also been killed in this country. Nobody denies that. We’ve lost innocent lives in mosques, villages, and marketplaces from Zamfara to Borno. But let’s stop twisting facts: who are the killers?
Are they Christians? No.
Are they Jews? No.
Are they Buddhists? No.
They are Jihadist extremists who hide under the name of Islam to slaughter both Christians and Muslims who disagree with their madness.
So when Christians cry out that they are being massacred because of their faith, let’s stop rushing to say “Muslims are victims too.” That’s not the point. Christians are being targeted in the name of religion. Muslims are being killed for refusing to join in the madness. Both are victims but the ideology behind the killing wears a Jihadist face, not a Christian one.
No Christian has ever killed a Muslim in this country in the name of Jesus (pbuh). But how many times have we seen mobs shouting “Allahu Akbar” while burning churches and murdering innocent people? From Borno to Jos Plateau, from Kaduna to Yola these things happened, and we all know it.
Remember Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto?
She was lynched in broad daylight and many Muslims, including lawyers, defended her killers. That was the moment Nigeria lost its moral compass. Instead of defending justice, we defended evil because the victim was a Christian and the killers were Muslims.
That’s why the world no longer takes our defense seriously. We can’t claim to be victims while defending the monsters among us.
Until Muslims in Nigeria openly condemn and fight Jihadists with the same energy they defend Islam, this bloodshed will never end. Every time you justify or stay silent, you’re empowering those who destroy our image and faith.
Let’s stop being hypocritical. This isn’t about defending religion it’s about saving our humanity. Islam means peace, but too many people have turned it into a weapon.
We must unite Muslims and Christians against the Jihadists who have hijacked our country. Enough is enough. Silence is no longer an option.[5]
The southern portion of Nigeria is overwhelmingly Christian. The north is dominated by Islam.[6] The middle portion (Middle Belt) is the focus of much Christian suffering at the hands of Boko Haram, Islamic State of West Africa Province, and Fulani militants.
The Fulani are one of the largest and most widely dispersed ethnic groups in Africa and represent about 9% of Nigeria’s population. For over 400 years, the Fulani have spread Islam through trade, education, and violence (jihad).
Over the past two weeks, especially, attention has been focused on Christians in Nigeria. On October 31, 2025, President Donald Trump announced via Truth Social (and amplified on X) that he is designating Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998.
This label identifies nations where the U.S. government determines there are “systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom.”[7] Trump framed the move as a response to what he called an “existential threat” to Christianity in Nigeria, claiming “thousands of Christians are being killed” by “radical Islamists” in a “mass slaughter.”
This designation is highly significant. President Trump had previously designated Nigeria as a CPC in December 2020, but the Biden administration reversed this decision, citing a desire to “improve bilateral ties”—a move that was sharply criticized by senators like Ted Cruz.[8]
What can this designation do?
- It can help bring international pressure and encourage the UK and EU nations to impose similar actions.
- It could lead to further actions halting non-humanitarian aid, restricting arms sales, or targeting officials with visa bans and asset freezes.
- It can encourage Christians in Nigeria to know that the US is seeking to stand for them.
As expected, Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, swiftly rejected the designation on November 1, 2025, calling the claims “misleading” and emphasizing that violence stems from terrorism, banditry, and resource conflicts affecting all faiths—not targeted “genocide.”
As Christians, what can we do to help our brothers and sisters?
1.) Pray for Christians in Nigeria!
2.) Pray that President Trump and his administration might be able to bring pressure and even more to stop the slaughter. The Lord needs to give careful guidance.
3.) Share with other believers the horrible plight of believers in Nigeria.
Give and encourage your church to give. A very faithful denomination in Nigeria and other countries is called ECWA – Evangelical Church Winning All.[9] For over 15 years, I have been privileged to know Pastor Sunday Bwanhot, who comes from the middle portion of Nigeria and has served in the US as a missionary of his denomination for 30 years. ECWA is doing a great work in Nigeria and seeks to reach Muslims with the gospel. You can support their ministry directly here.
Here are the different ways people can deposit money into the Account for Evangelical Missionary Society (EMS). This is the largest indigenous missionary society in Africa, with 4,000 members, and is the missionary arm of the ECWA denomination. Many are serving in the very difficult areas of Nigeria, truly on the frontlines of this spiritual battle.
- Write a Check Payable to ECWA USA and mail it to:
EMS of ECWA
ECWA Chicago
5644 S. Oakley Ave.
Chicago, IL 60636
- If in the USA with a Chase Bank Branch nearby:
Make a direct deposit payable to ECWA USA, Chicago.
Account No. 522769069;
Routing Number is: 071000013.
- Credit card payment. Go to:
Donate – ECWA USA or Copy the link and place it on your browser: ecwausa.org/donate/ Under Give Now options, choose EMS International. Enter your gift amount and complete the transaction.
- Zelle: You can Zelle any amount, but not more than $2,000 per transaction. Send it to sbwanhot@ecwausa.org. It will go straight to the EMS Account.
Footnotes:
[1] https://rileymoore.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-moore-introduces-resolution-condemning-persecution-christians
[2] https://adfinternational.org/news/u-s-congress-introduces-resolution-condemning-persecution-of-christians-in-nigeria
[3] https://globalchristianrelief.org/resources/countries/nigeria/
[4] https://impactpolicies.org/news/647/killing-of-christian-nigeria-tragic-violence-and-political-delusions-explored
[5] Shared with me by Pastor Sunday Bwanhot.
[6] https://persecution.org/2025/11/06/acknowledging-the-militant-islamic-fulani-menace-in-nigeria
[7] https://www.tvcnews.tv/fg-trump-us-officials-disagree-on-christian-genocide-claims-in-nigeria/
[8] https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415070
[9] https://ecwaglobal.org/
