Why Nigeria’s persecution crisis matters to the world

Nigeria is the deadliest country in the world for Christians: according to the recently released 2025 Global Persecution Index by International Christian Concern (ICC), at least 50,000 Christians have been killed there over the past two decades, and hundreds of thousands more have been displaced. Extremist groups like Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), and armed Fulani militants continue to target Christian communities with massacres, kidnappings, and destruction.

Yet despite these staggering numbers, the crisis in Nigeria rarely makes headlines in the United States. Why? And why should Americans — whether Christian or not — care about what’s happening?

Nigeria’s crisis is about religion—a fundamental human right. The freedom to worship, to live without fear of violence because of one’s beliefs, is a cornerstone of any just society. When religious freedom is denied, it often signals a broader collapse of rights, from freedom of speech to political representation.

We have seen this pattern before. In Nicaragua, the government of Daniel Ortega has systematically silenced the Catholic Church, imprisoning priests, expelling religious communities, and shutting down Catholic institutions. The Church, a powerful voice for human dignity and justice, has been targeted because it speaks out against oppression.

Nigeria’s crisis is different in form but similar in consequence: extremist groups, rather than a centralized government, are the primary persecutors. But the impact is the same—Christian communities are being silenced, displaced, and in many cases, wiped out.

History teaches us that when religious persecution goes unchecked, it does not remain confined to one group. Societies that tolerate attacks on one faith often become more oppressive in general, leading to greater instability.

In Nigeria, Christian communities are not the only ones suffering. Widespread violence, including attacks on Muslims, has contributed to a growing security crisis. The government’s failure to address religious persecution has emboldened terrorist groups, weakened national stability, and created conditions where extremism flourishes.

Ignoring this crisis doesn’t just endanger Nigerians—it undermines global efforts to protect human rights. When world leaders look away, it sends a message to persecutors everywhere that they can act without consequence.

Religious persecution, whether in Nigeria, Nicaragua, or anywhere else, is an attack on human dignity itself. It is a stark reminder that freedom is fragile, that hatred left unchecked turns into violence, and that silence in the face of suffering only emboldens oppressors.

If we believe in the inherent worth of every human life, we cannot look away. The measure of a just society—of a just world—is how it treats the most vulnerable. And today, millions of persecuted people are looking to the world to see whether their dignity will be defended, or whether their cries will go unheard.