Escalating Violence Against Christians in Nigeria Raises Global Concerns
(Photo: Open Doors)
The international spotlight is on Nigeria as allegations surface accusing the government of ignoring the severity of attacks on Christians by Islamic extremists. The situation has drawn attention from global leaders, including former US President Donald Trump, who recently labeled Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern.”
In a bold move, the Trump administration conducted airstrikes on Christmas Day aimed at Islamic militants in the northwest of Nigeria. Although the Nigerian government collaborated in these military actions, it has refuted Trump’s assertions of large-scale killings of Christians, stating, “They’re [the militants] killing the Christians and killing them in very large numbers. We’re not going to allow that to happen.”
Open Doors, an organization focused on monitoring Christian persecution, lists Nigeria as the 7th most dangerous place for Christians. Despite Christians making up roughly half of Nigeria’s population, they face severe threats, with more Christians allegedly killed in Nigeria than in any other country. Open Doors reports around 3,100 Christian deaths in Nigeria this year alone, out of a global total of 4,476. Meanwhile, the Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law estimates the number to be as high as 7,000.
In a bid to tackle the violence, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu declared a national security emergency last month and committed to doubling the police force. He also claimed that Muslims were victims of violence by Christians, a statement lacking substantial evidence except for isolated instances.
Efforts to depict the violence as a “social conflict” between Muslim herdsmen and Christian farmers have been criticized by Christian leaders. The Rev John Hayab, chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, emphasized to The Telegraph, “There is religious persecution in northern Nigeria and I can tell the Nigerian government that the reason why we are not addressing it is because we are living in denial. If you are denying, it is as if you are supporting the man who is killing us.”
Tiffany Barrens, the global advocacy director for Open Doors International, also expressed concerns, noting, “Ten years ago, it was more about land and resources. What we have seen increasingly is that the religious element has become more apparent. I think people are afraid to recognise the religious element, because they are afraid it will lead to more division.”
This article was originally written by www.christiantoday.com
