A coalition of prominent Nigerian Christian and civil society organizations has issued an urgent appeal to the United States government, alleging an intensifying pattern of targeted killings, mass displacement, and systematic destruction of Christian communities across Nigeria.

Speaking to journalists via Zoom, the coalition — led by the Christian Social Movement of Nigeria (CSMN) — asserted that the scale and consistency of attacks amount to an unfolding genocide that international authorities can no longer ignore.

The group, representing more than a dozen Christian networks from across denominational, ethnic, and regional lines, described a worsening security collapse in which armed groups linked to extremist ideologies continue to attack Christian towns and villages with impunity. They warned that, without decisive international intervention, Nigeria risks sliding further into a full humanitarian and geopolitical catastrophe.

For years, faith-based monitoring organizations, independent researchers, and humanitarian agencies have documented the escalating violence. According to Open Doors’ World Watch List, Nigeria accounted for 90% of all Christians killed for their faith worldwide in 2023 and continued to rank as the deadliest place in the world to be a Christian.

International watchdog groups estimate that more than 50,000 Nigerian Christians have been killed since 2010, and millions have been displaced by Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), armed Fulani militant factions, and other extremist networks. More than 18,000 churches and Christian-owned schools have been attacked or destroyed during this period, according to data cited by multiple international human rights groups.

It is within this context that the coalition declared its position: the systematic targeting of Christian communities constitutes genocide under international law, specifically referencing Article II of the 1948 U.N. Genocide Convention and Article 6 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. Coalition leaders noted that their call does not hinge on rhetorical debate but on the standards set by global institutions mandated to identify and prevent genocidal crimes.

The coalition urged the United Nations Security Council and the International Criminal Court to dispatch investigators to Nigeria immediately. Their argument is straightforward: genocidal crimes cannot be dismissed through political statements, denials, or public relations campaigns. Still, they must be verified — or refuted — by competent international investigators with legal authority.

The spokespeople further argued that claims suggesting that Christians are not specifically targeted distort the reality on the ground. While acknowledging that some Muslims have also been victims of extremist groups, the coalition emphasized that those killings are perpetrated by groups claiming Islamic ideological legitimacy — not by Christian communities.

They argue that the religious identity of perpetrators and targets, as documented in numerous investigations, reflects a pattern of ideological intent consistent with the legal definition of genocide.

The coalition also expressed strong support for U.S. engagement, praising Washington’s recent decision to re-designate Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) for severe violations of religious freedom.

They framed U.S. involvement not as interference but as a responsibility anchored in international humanitarian law. Citing the U.N. Genocide Convention — which obliges signatories to prevent and punish genocide — they argued that the United States is both legally permitted and morally obligated to intervene when a nation fails to protect vulnerable populations.

They referenced the “Responsibility to Protect” (R2P) framework adopted by the U.N. in 2005, which allows for international action, including military intervention, in cases of mass atrocities when national authorities fail to safeguard their populations. They stressed that Nigeria’s inability to rein in extremist violence, coupled with consistent failures to prosecute perpetrators, meets the threshold outlined by R2P.

The coalition’s message also aimed at recent statements from Nigerian Muslim organizations and some African Union officials who publicly dismissed claims of Christian genocide. One official, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf — the new African Union Commission Chairperson — was mentioned by name and criticized for downplaying the situation, despite, according to the coalition, having conducted no credible investigation in Nigeria.

Coalition representatives described such dismissals as politically motivated or misinformed, arguing that they contradict documented evidence gathered by international rights groups, journalists, and Nigerian survivors themselves.
Similarly, the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) was accused of denying long-standing patterns of targeted violence despite, as the coalition leaders put it, “overwhelming evidence” that extremist groups have consistently attacked Christian communities, clergy, and institutions.

The coalition expressed disappointment that the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the country’s largest Christian umbrella body, has yet to respond publicly to accusations that it is using “agents” to spread claims of genocide. The coalition argued that CAN’s silence risks weakening the collective Christian advocacy needed at an urgent time.

To support their assertions, coalition members cited recent events, including coordinated raids in Plateau, Kaduna, Benue, and Borno states, where Christian villages were attacked within weeks of one another, resulting in scores of deaths, disappearances, and mass displacement.

In some incidents documented by human rights monitors, entire villages were razed while security forces failed to respond in time — or at all. Survivors frequently testify that attackers separate victims by religion, targeting Christian households while sparing others.

The coalition also criticized what it described as a “false narrative” that Christians dominate political appointments in Nigeria. They argued that, contrary to claims that Christians hold 62% of presidential appointments, the current federal leadership is overwhelmingly Muslim.

They cited key positions — the presidency, vice presidency, national security leadership, defense ministry, and heads of the armed forces — as being held by Muslims. By their count, only five of the top 24 security and defense officials are Christians. They argued that public claims of Christian political dominance are “misleading propaganda” used to deflect attention from ongoing atrocities.

The coalition’s concluding message was a mix of gratitude and resolute appeal. They thanked international voices — ranging from celebrities to journalists to parliamentarians — who have highlighted the crisis. They expressed particular appreciation for the United States, urging that Washington’s leadership will be crucial as Nigeria enters what they describe as a decisive moment for its Christian populations.

Their final appeal centered on three points: appreciation for U.S. actions, a call for U.N. and International Criminal Court investigations, and a warning that the Nigerian government lacks the capacity or willingness to end the violence. They argued that without decisive international involvement, extremist networks will continue to expand, pushing Nigeria further into instability with consequences that extend beyond its borders.

The press conference concluded with signatures from 17 Christian leaders representing prominent advocacy and faith-based organizations. Their message to the American public was clear: the lives of millions of Nigerian Christians hang in the balance, and the world’s most influential democracy has a critical role to play in ensuring that history’s darkest crimes are neither ignored nor allowed to continue.

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