Rep. Riley M. Moore warns that Nigeria has become the deadliest country in the world for Christians, yet the international community remains largely silent.
He is urging Secretary of State @SecRubio to designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), unlocking diplomatic tools to protect Christians in the region.
Since Boko Haram’s insurgency began in 2009, over 50,000 Christians have been killed, and more than 5 million displaced. This year alone, a priest was kidnapped and murdered on Ash Wednesday, and 54 Christians were martyred on Palm Sunday. In the past decade, at least 250 priests have faced attacks or death threats.
Churches have been frequent targets: more than 19,000 have been attacked or destroyed since 2009, averaging three per day. Reports suggest that some attacks may involve government complicity, and officials at both federal and state levels often display hostility toward Christians, including shutting down orphanages and enforcing forced conversions.
Nigeria also enforces strict anti-blasphemy laws. One individual received a 24-year prison sentence for “insulting the Prophet Mohammed,” while others face the death penalty under similar charges.
Under President Trump, Nigeria was designated a CPC, a move later reversed by President Biden. Senator Rubio, then in the Senate, signed a letter urging Secretary Blinken to reinstate the designation, stating, “The moment demands that you do so without delay.”
Rep. Moore echoes this call, emphasizing that the United States cannot ignore the persecution of Christians in Nigeria. “We must designate Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern to protect our brothers and sisters in Christ,” he said.
