We serve Christians around the world whose brave faith in Jesus means they are, beaten, threatened, imprisoned, tortured, falsely accused, disowned and hated.
Nigeria is generally split between an Islamic north and Christian south. The persecution facing Christians in Nigeria, especially in the north, is extreme and often brutally violent, coming from Islamic militants and armed bandits.
EVERY £8
Could provide a young person from Central Asia with a Bible in their own language
EVERY £26
Could provide trauma care for a victim of violent persecution
“Most of us don’t want to come back to our village. Boko Haram let us know that we will be murdered if we come back.”
Salamtu, who is displaced by violence
Nigeria: QUICK FACTS
According to Open Doors research, more Christians are killed for their faith in Nigeria than in the rest of the world combined.
Jihadist violence continues to escalate in Nigeria, and Christians are at particular risk from targeted attacks by Islamic militant groups including Fulani militants, Boko Haram and ISWAP (Islamic State West Africa Province).
These attacks are shockingly brutal in nature – many believers are killed, particularly men, while women are often kidnapped and targeted for sexual violence. These militants also destroy homes, churches and livelihoods.
Kidnap for ransom is used regularly with the deliberate intention of destabilising Christian families and the church.
More than 16.2 million Christians in sub-Saharan Africa, including high numbers from Nigeria, have been driven from their homes by violence and conflict. Millions now live in displacement camps.
NIGERIA: WHY ARE CHRISTIANS PERSECUTED?
Nigeria has greater religious freedom than other countries in the World Watch List top 10, but the biggest threat is from Islamic militants who seek to destroy Christianity and Christians in the region.
Christians living in the Sharia (Islamic law) states of northern Nigeria can also face discrimination and oppression as second-class citizens. Converts from Islam often experience rejection from their own families and pressure to renounce their new faith. They often have to flee their homes for fear of being killed.
Nigeria: More details
Who is particularly vulnerable?
The persecution of believers is most common in the northern, Muslim-majority states. However, attacks are increasingly spreading southward, into the Middle Belt and even further south, to where the majority of Nigeria’s Christians live.
Pastor Zachariah’s story
Pastor Zachariah has truly counted the cost for following Jesus. Just after midnight on 15 May 2023, his village in central Nigeria was attacked by Fulani militants. “All I could see were burnt houses around,” he remembers. “I searched to see if I could find my wife or children – only to find their lifeless bodies. My wife and I did everything together. We walked hand in hand with each other. That day, I cried like never before.”
It’s hard to imagine anything more dreadful. Pastor Zachariah’s faith was terribly shaken. “I felt as if God had forsaken me,” he says. “If God is in control, why would He allow this kind of attack on us?”
Thankfully, that’s not the end of Pastor Zachariah’s story. Open Doors local partners came quickly to help the community with trauma care and counselling – just one of many ways they support believers in Nigeria, including relief aid, economic empowerment, discipleship and persecuted survival training. The trauma care has had an extraordinary impact on Pastor Zachariah. “I am now asking God to forgive the militants,” he says. “Had I not come for this counselling, I would not have been living a good life – I could not sleep, as my thoughts kept going back to the attacks. But now my mind is at rest.”
Pastor Zachariah’s prayer is this: “Help me pray for our members to be strengthened in the faith, so that we can continue to work for Christ here on earth and not to be afraid. I am also pleading with our dear brothers and sisters in Christ to pray that God will help me to provide for our four remaining children – for God to encourage them to hold on to Him and never turn back.”
Sele’s Story
In Nigeria, teenager Sele suffered the loss of his father in religious violence when he was just a toddler. But through the generosity of Open Doors supporters, he has been able to attend school.
What has changed in the last year?
Nigeria has dropped one place on the World Watch List, but the persecution score has not changed – the change in rank is due to persecution intensifying in other countries.
There were hopes that Bola Tinubu’s 2023 election as president would cause a positive shift towards recognising and intervening against human rights violations affecting Christians, but this has not yet materialised.
Unfortunately, very little has changed in Nigeria this year. Christians living in parts of the country continue to endure extreme violence and danger for their faith.
How is Open Doors helping
Open Doors works through local church partners in Nigeria to strengthen Christians with discipleship and persecution survival training, trauma care, relief aid and economic empowerment projects.
“We will worship God because He has preserved our lives… I still have God and He is still on the throne. He will surely deliver me.”
Abraham, who has been displaced by violence
PRAY NOW
Heavenly Father, we cry out to You for our persecuted sisters and brothers in Nigeria. Comfort and heal all who have been attacked, traumatised or bereaved and fill them with hope. We pray especially for women and girls who have been abducted and assaulted – set them free and restore them to their families. Help the new president to work together with the authorities to bring an end to terrorism in the country. Build Your good kingdom in Nigeria through Your church and give believers courage to keep proclaiming the good news of Jesus. Amen.
Get your free interactive map to learn where Christians are counting the cost for their faith in Jesus. This year’s map comes with a temporary tally tattoo to help you count your prayers for your church family around the world!
Get a free download of a youth session outline to help you learn more and pray for the places where Christians are counting the cost of following Jesus!
North Korea is the most dangerous place in the world to be a Christian. The leadership are viewed as divine, so those following Jesus pose a real threat to their ruling status. Those suspected of following Jesus will be arrested and interrogated. Up to 70,000 Christians are living in horrific labour camps.
LEVEL OF PERSECUTION:
Somalia
Hundreds (in a population of 19.3 million)
SOMALIA: QUICK FACTS SOMALIA: WHY ARE CHRISTIANS PERSECUTED? Al-Shabaab, a violent Islamic militant group at war with the government, controls large swathes of the country. This group enforces a strict form of Sharia (Islamic law) and is committed to eradicating Christianity from Somalia. Persecution for Christians also comes from within their own families and communities. […]
LEVEL OF PERSECUTION:
Yemen
A small number (exact figures are hard to define)
A country where Muslims who choose to follow Jesus could face the death penalty…
LEVEL OF PERSECUTION:
Libya
35,500 (0.5%)
Libya: QUICK FACTS Libya: TWHY ARE CHRISTIANS PERSECUTED? Libya has an honour/shame culture, and it is considered deeply shameful for the whole family when a Libyan wants to change their religion from Islam. Islamic militant groups target Christians for human trafficking, forced labour and sexual enslavement, or kidnap for ransom – particularly those who are […]
LEVEL OF PERSECUTION:
Sudan
2 million (4.1%)
Conflict, targeted persecution, Islamic extremism and instability all mean Christians are counting the cost in Sudan…
LEVEL OF PERSECUTION:
Eritrea
1.7 million (44.2%)
There are 3.7 million people in Eritrea. Of these, 1.7 million are Christian, which is almost half the population.
LEVEL OF PERSECUTION:
Pakistan
4.5 million (1.8%)
PAKISTAN: QUICK FACTS PAKISTAN: THE BASICS In Pakistan’s honour/shame culture, it is considered deeply shameful for a family member to leave Islam – and so converts face intense opposition from their own family and community, including so-called ‘honour’ killing. All Christians suffer from institutionalised discrimination, and occupations that are deemed low, dirty and degrading – […]
LEVEL OF PERSECUTION:
Iran
800,00 (0.9% of the population)
Converting to Christianity from Islam is illegal in Iran, a place where Christians ca be arrested simply for attending a house church…
LEVEL OF PERSECUTION:
Afghanistan
Thousands (in a population of 43 million)
If an Afghan’s Christian faith is discovered, it can be a death sentence, or they can be detained and tortured into giving information about fellow believers…
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