Who will protect Nigeria’s Christians?

Christians in Nigeria are suffering a silent genocide

A recent wave of mass killings in Nigeria’s Middle Belt has left at least fifty Christians dead and thousands displaced. In late May, jihadist terrorists gunned down Christian farmers across multiple locations in Benue State, in central Nigeria. On 25^th May, twenty Christians were massacred in a targeted mass shooting in Aondona, forcing villagers to flee. Subsequent shootings on 26^th May took the lives of five Christians in Tse Orbiam and six more in Ahume. The attacks were carried out by ethnic Fulani militants with an Islamist ideology. They aim to cleanse the region of Christians and claim the land for Islam.

These are not isolated incidents but are part of a wider campaign of ethnic cleansing against Christians in what has been described as a genocide against Christians. According to Genocide Watch, 62,000 Nigerian Christians have been murdered since 2000 in what they refer to as a genocide perpetrated by Islamist jihadist groups, including Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), and Fulani militias.

According to Open Doors research, more Christians are killed for their faith in Nigeria than in the rest of the world combined. Attacks on Christians are especially brutal – men are often killed, while women are kidnapped and sexually abused. Militants attacking Christian settlements will destroy homes, churches and livelihoods. More than 16.2 million Christians in sub-Saharan Africa have been driven from their homes by conflict, with many living in displacement camps with little food and poor hygiene.

“Most of us don’t want to come back to our village”, said Salamtu, a displaced Christian. “Boko Haram let us know that we will be murdered if we come back.”

Persecution against Christians in Nigeria does not primarily come from the state but comes from Islamist terrorists and insurgents who seek to create a Caliphate under ultra-strict sharia law. Converts from Islam in northern Muslim-majority Nigeria often have to flee their homes for fear of being killed. Twelve northern states implement sharia law, and Christians accused of blasphemy have been frequently attacked or killed in mobs.

While persecution against Christians is worse in northern Nigeria, attacks on Christian farmers are increasingly spreading towards the south, where the majority of Nigeria’s Christians live.

Benue state, the scene of the most recent atrocities, is 98 per cent Christian, yet it has recently become a killing field for Christians. Bishop Wilfred Angbe, who recently testified to the US Congress, stated: “Nigeria and eventually my diocese and the state of Benue have become in recent years, one of the most dangerous and insecure places for Christians.” Fulani herdsman, he claimed. “…kidnap and rape and enjoy total impunity from the elected authorities. None of them have been arrested and brought to justice.”

As the world media focuses on Gaza and Ukraine, the humanitarian catastrophe in Nigeria is being completely ignored. In 2020, there were widespread protests across the West in response to the murder of George Floyd by a police officer in the US. Politicians were quick to get pictures of themselves taking the knee in solidarity and proudly stated that “black lives matter”. Yet when black Christians in Nigeria are killed for their faith, there is a muted response with only a handful speaking out.

Similarly, while many Western activists and politicians care deeply about the war in Gaza, they are indifferent towards Nigeria’s persecuted Christians, who have become victims of a silent slaughter.

In multicultural Britain, the truth is that politicians and the media are unwilling to properly challenge and condemn Islamist terrorism for fear of being labelled “Islamophobic”. At the same time, raising awareness of Christian suffering goes against the progressive narrative that Christianity is a dominant religion, associated with colonialism, privilege, and power. This overlooks the lived experience of many of the world’s Christians who experience violence and persecution from Islamist regimes.

While seeking to protect Muslims from abuse and discrimination is indeed a noble goal, that goal should not come at the expense of justice for victims of Islamist terror. The hyper-focus on “Islamophobia” makes Christian victims invisible because acknowledging them might seem to blame Muslims, even when the facts demand it. And in Nigeria and other countries, the facts do indeed demand it.

While the West remains silent about Christian persecution in Nigeria, Britain has a unique opportunity to take action. As a country with close historical and cultural ties to Nigeria, a key ally and Commonwealth member, Britain bears a moral responsibility to highlight what is occurring and collaborate with the Nigerian government to halt the mass killings of Christians. The British government should recognise the targeted killings of Christians as genocidal violence under the UN Genocide Convention and offer targeted humanitarian assistance to persecuted communities through trusted NGOs, churches, and relief organisations.

British soldiers are currently present in Nigeria, training and advising Nigerian forces. Current estimates suggest that around 100-200 UK military personnel are deployed on training and support missions at any given time. This operation should be significantly scaled up to address the increased threat from jihadist groups. Britain could also provide enhanced intelligence and air support to Nigerian forces battling Boko Haram and ISWAP. Such an intervention would focus solely on counterterrorism and would serve to strengthen Nigeria’s sovereignty and security.

As well as cooperating with Nigerian forces in fighting Boko Haram and ISWAP, Britain must pressure the government to address the growing number of attacks by Fulani jihadists on Christians, which it currently seems unwilling to address. The current president of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Adekunle Tinubu, actively sought support from Fulani groups during his 2023 campaign and was even endorsed by Fulani leaders. As a leader who seeks to bridge divides, Tinubu himself is often hesitant to attribute ethnic or religious motives to mass killings. The Foreign Ministry, speaking on behalf of Tinubu, has rejected claims that Christians are being targeted, instead claiming the violence was about land use.

As well as assisting the Nigerian government in fighting terrorism, Britain should also create an asylum scheme for persecuted Christian families who live in constant threat of violence. The world cannot simply stand by as thousands of Christians are killed every year in Nigeria. More can be done, and Britain must lead the way.