By Muhammad Mamman
United States lawmakers have raised fresh alarm over the escalating wave of violent attacks targeting Christian communities in Nigeria, describing the country as “the deadliest place on earth to be a Christian.”
The lawmakers issued the warning during a congressional briefing on global religious persecution, where Nigeria featured prominently due to continued killings, abductions, and community-level assaults attributed to extremist groups and armed militias.
According to the US legislators, thousands of Christians have been killed over the years in attacks linked to Boko Haram insurgents, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), and various armed groups operating in parts of the North and Middle Belt. They stressed that the persistent violence, coupled with what they consider insufficient protection measures, has worsened the humanitarian and security situation.
They criticised the Nigerian authorities for failing to stem the tide of violence swiftly and decisively, urging the US government to intensify diplomatic pressure and reassess its foreign policy approach towards Nigeria’s human rights and security landscape.
The lawmakers further called for stronger international intervention to safeguard vulnerable communities, insisting that the global community cannot remain silent while Christian populations continue to face deadly threats.
They emphasised that without urgent reforms and coordinated security responses, the crisis could deteriorate further, deepening instability across the region.
