Shocking Report to the UN: Violence Against Christians in Nigeria Enters Dangerous Phase
As deadly attacks intensify in Nigeria’s northern and central regions, two international organizations working in genocide prevention have submitted a report to the UN’s special rapporteur on freedom of religion and belief, calling for an immediate investigation into the situation of Christians in the country. These organizations have warned that the continued attacks by jihadist groups, widespread displacement of civilians, and the failure of security structures to protect citizens could indicate signs of a “gradual genocide” against Christian communities.
The joint report by “Genocide Watch” and “Coalition Against Genocide” was released ahead of an official visit by Nazila Ghanea, the UN’s special rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, to Nigeria. In this document, groups such as Boko Haram, ISIS West Africa Branch (ISWAP), Fulani militias, and Lakurawa have been accused of conducting organized attacks against Christians and moderate Muslims. According to the report’s authors, these groups have killed tens of thousands of people over the past two decades and displaced millions from their homes.
The report claims that many attacks have targeted churches, schools affiliated with religious institutions, Christian-populated villages, and civilian residents. The report’s authors also contend that in some cases, security and military forces not only failed to prevent attacks, but some commanders have been accused of negligence or ignoring previous warnings about imminent attacks.
Human rights organizations have been warning for years about the scale of religious violence in Nigeria. Reports published by various organizations, including international Christian bodies, indicate that thousands of Christians have been killed in recent years in attacks by extremist groups. Some reports estimate Christian casualties since the beginning of Islamist insurgencies in northern Nigeria at more than 50,000 people.
Beyond massacres, kidnapping has become one of the most important tools of armed groups. The report submitted to the UN states: “Extortion from families and local communities is now one of the primary sources of funding for these groups, and hundreds of civilians have been abducted in just one year.”
The states of Benue, Plateau, Kaduna, and Kogi are among the areas that have suffered the most from the wave of violence. According to human rights reports, internally displaced persons camps in these areas face severe shortages of food, drinking water, medical services, and basic living facilities, with the majority of residents being farmers and families who abandoned their homes and land following armed attacks.
The report’s authors have also criticized the Nigerian government and some of the international community for downplaying the religious dimensions of the violence compared to reality. They believe that reducing this crisis to local disputes between herders and farmers or economic problems has prevented a complete understanding of the nature of attacks against religious communities.
At the end of this statement, the report’s authors have called on the UN to carefully examine the dimensions of this crisis without political considerations. They have called for increased international pressure to protect civilians, reform Nigeria’s security structures, and effectively counter extremist groups. The report concludes: “A relentless war is being waged by jihadist terrorists against Christians and moderate Muslims in Nigeria, and genocide against Christians continues in a gradual manner.”
