Photo: Voice of America
Unlike some nations where persecution is government-instigated, believers in Nigeria – particularly those in northern parts of the country – are at greatest risk of life-threatening attacks perpetrated by their fellow Nigerians. In previous years, Islamic militant groups (such as Boko Haram) carried out their violent raids against Christian villages with impunity. In addition to slaying many innocent inhabitants, buildings and properties within these communities were destroyed. While other terrorist groups remain a major active threat to Christians residing in Nigeria, most of the attacks reported during 2025 were carried out by militant Fulani herdsmen.
Governing authorities have frequently cited economic reasons for the cause of these atrocities, reasoning that the nomad herdsmen merely sought the control of grazing areas belonging to local residents. Other common motives for the violent raids targeting Nigeria's Christian communities – including the kidnapping of victims and looting of homes – have also been attributed to financial reasons.
Despite these contributing factors, religious opposition has clearly played a significant role in many of these brutal attacks. Perpetrators driven by militant Islamic ideologies have killed thousands of Christians this year alone by storming villages without warning, shooting indiscriminately at innocent citizens, and then destroying these victimized believers' homes, churches, schools and other properties. One report estimates that more than 7,000 Christians were killed during the first seven months of 2025 alone, noting that a similar number of believers have been abducted.
The devastating violence recently received international attention when the U.S. administration designated Nigeria as a "country of particular concern" in early November. Questioning the extent to which the Nigerian government has actively worked to stop the ongoing carnage, the intervention of America's military forces was threatened if serious action is not taken.
Despite renewed attention to the severity of Nigeria's dire situation, a shocking incident occurred on November 21st when gunmen raided a Catholic boarding school, kidnapping more than 300 students. While 150 of the abducted children have since been recovered at the time of publishing this report, approximately 150 students and 12 staff members remain missing. For more information on these incidents, and/or to access special video reports that further address the suffering of our Christian family in Nigeria, go to our country profile.
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