The Faithfulness of Nigerian Christians amid Persecution
There may be no better example of Christian faithfulness and courage right now than in Nigeria. Earlier this week, in response to the appointment of a progressive, pro-abortion Archbishop of Canterbury, the Nigerian Anglican Church broke all ties with the Church of England. Their actions were swift, despite the extensive persecution of Christians in that country.
For the last decade or more, almost like clockwork, Muslim extremists in Nigeria have attacked Christians in church each Christmas and Easter. In recent years, these attacks have happened more and more frequently. This year, the slaughter of Nigerian Christians has hit an unprecedented level. On June 13, at least 200 Christians were killed in a single day in the village of Yelwata before their homes were burned. According to a Newsweek report, over 7,000 Christians have been killed in Nigeria during the first 220 days of 2025, an average of 35 killings a day.
In his speech before the UN General Assembly on September 23, President Trump said to world leaders, “Let us protect religious liberty, including for the most persecuted religion on the planet today—it’s called Christianity.” Like the one in seven Christians around the world who suffer severe persecution, that part of Trump’s speech was largely ignored by mainstream news outlets. That is now what’s to be expected. The West has largely turned away from one of the most significant human rights crises of the day, prioritizing others instead.
Reacting to these horrific Nigerian killings, Dr. Anthony Bradley asked in an X post, “Where is the ‘Free Nigeria Campaign’ and why are the free Palestine protestors also not passionately protesting Muslims in Nigeria?” Even avowed atheist and liberal Bill Maher recently questioned the lack of global interest on his show Real Time:
This is so much more of a genocide attempt than what is going on in Gaza. They are literally attempting to wipe out the Christian population of an entire country! [The corporate media isn’t covering it] because the Jews aren’t involved. That’s why.
The scale of the persecution in Nigeria is rivaled by how long it has endured. According to the Nigerian NGO InterSociety,
Jihadists killed 185,009 defenseless Nigerians since 2009 (16 Years), including 125,009 Christians and 60,000 liberal Muslims—during which 19,100 churches were razed, more than 1,100 Christian communities sacked, their 20,000 square miles of lands taken over, and over 600 Christian clerics abducted, including abduction of 250 Catholic priests and 350 pastors and killing of dozens.
Even if this is the wrong persecuted group for the professional protesting class, any persecution of Christians should drive us to our knees. It should also drive us to ask hard questions, especially about the cause of this surge of spiritual terror. Recently, historian and Colson Center senior fellow Dr. Glenn Sunshine pointed out that Philip Jenkins, in his book The Next Christendom, predicted that the center of gravity in the Church would move from the West to the Global South, especially to Nigeria.
The shift he predicted has largely happened, at least in terms of overall numbers. Nigeria is the sixth or seventh largest populated nation in the world, with about 46% of the country identifying as Christian. Perhaps a reason the church in Nigeria is facing so much persecution is that the Enemy knows how important it is for the future of the Church. Muslim extremists seem to know. In addition to Nigeria, Christians are being targeted in many African countries.
The most important thing we can do for our brothers and sisters in peril is to appeal to heaven on their behalf. Pray for justice, pray for mercy, and pray for the grace these brothers and sisters need to endure this terrible time.
We should also learn more. Global Christian Relief provides a “Red List” on Christian persecution worldwide. There are also groups like Open Doors and Voice of the Martyrs who provide aid for suffering Christians. Also, most denominations are present in these nations and offer support through their Missions agencies.
At the very least, we must break the silence about the targeting of Christians in Nigeria. Talk about it to friends, at church, and to elected officials. I’ve joined a group of religious leaders appealing that Nigeria be identified by the United States as a Country of Particular Concern. In July, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom recommended this to the State department because it makes additional international pressure possible. Please contact your elected officials and ask them to pressure the State Department to take this important step.
Image credit: ©Getty Images/EMMY IBU/Contributor
John Stonestreet is President of the Colson Center for Christian Worldview, and radio host of BreakPoint, a daily national radio program providing thought-provoking commentaries on current events and life issues from a biblical worldview. John holds degrees from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (IL) and Bryan College (TN), and is the co-author of Making Sense of Your World: A Biblical Worldview.
The views expressed in this commentary do not necessarily reflect those of CrosswalkHeadlines.
BreakPoint is a program of the Colson Center for Christian Worldview. BreakPoint commentaries offer incisive content people can't find anywhere else; content that cuts through the fog of relativism and the news cycle with truth and compassion. Founded by Chuck Colson (1931 – 2012) in 1991 as a daily radio broadcast, BreakPoint provides a Christian perspective on today's news and trends. Today, you can get it in written and a variety of audio formats: on the web, the radio, or your favorite podcast app on the go.
