Fears remain this Easter that Christians in Nigeria are being ‘wiped out' by Muslim extremists

Fox News

20-04-2025

It's going to be a wretched and fearful Easter for Christians in Nigeria.
The killing and persecution of Christians by Islamist militants intent on creating a muslim caliphate in this West African country is continuing apparently unchecked despite the population being 46% Christian.
"Nigeria's Christians are being wiped out; we need to call it what it is — genocide," Jeff King, president of International Christian Concern (ICC), a persecution watchdog, told Fox News Digital.
"Let's start with the horrible attacks on April 2-3, 2025, in (Nigeria's) Plateau State's Bokkos County. Over 60 Christians (were) slaughtered, and 383 homes torched" King said. "Families were burned alive, and kids were left homeless. It's gut-wrenching. The worst thing is that there's nothing truly "special" about this attack. This has gone on for 20 years and has only expanded."
King believes Nigeria is a killing field for Christians, and that this isn't random violence. He continued with figures, confirmed by local leaders on the ground in Nigeria.
"It's a calculated push from the Fulanis to erase Christians from their homeland, Nigeria's Middle Belt. Since 2001, up to 100,000 Christians have been butchered, and 3.5 million farmers have been kicked off their land by Fulani Islamist terrorists. They roll in with AK-47s, machetes and gasoline, and no one's stopping them. For 20 years, the government has done nothing.
"This is a massive land grab disguised as a dispute or tribal spat. What we are witnessing is a massive and long-running stealth jihad."
One woman widowed in an attack is reported to have told the ICC, "They want our land, our lives, our Jesus."
Just last weekend, the ICC and local sources claim, another 54 Christians were slaughtered after celebrating at a Palm Sunday service in the village of Zikke, near Jos. The attack reportedly went on for a solid hour with no attempt by authorities to stop it.
Members of the Christian group Open Doors UK in Nigeria showed Fox News Digital a list of other attacks in Nigeria in the past month.
Nigeria ranks seventh on Open Doors' 2025 World Watchlist, an annual index of countries where Christians face the most persecution.
"Christians in northern and central Nigeria face extreme violence from Boko Haram, ISWAP, (Islamic State West African Province) and armed Fulani militants who have killed thousands of believers, destroyed hundreds of churches and displaced entire Christian communities," Ryan Brown, CEO of Open Doors US, told Fox News Digital. "The recent attacks in Plateau State represent yet another chapter in this ongoing crisis of religious persecution.
"These attacks have devastated communities that were still recovering from the Christmas Eve massacre that killed approximately 200 Christians in the same region in 2023."
Families have lost male breadwinners, with women and children often sexually assaulted, Brown added.
"Survivors are now living in at least four displacement camps, facing food insecurity and unable to access education or worship safely," Brown added.
Bishop Ayuba Matawal has profiled the Islamist killers. Matawal is chairman of the Nigerian Bokkos Internally Displaced People's Welfare Committee.
"It appears that some of these extremists have been indoctrinated with an ideology of seizing land from Christian communities, continuing the legacy of Uthman dan Fodio's vision of spreading Islam across Nigeria," he said. "Although their numbers may be small, these extremists have inflicted severe damage on Christian communities."
The ICC's King told Fox News Digital he is calling upon the State Department to list Nigeria "as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC)."
This is a U.S. government label that means sanctions, pressure and real consequences.
King added that he believes the U.S. should "cut off all (financial and military) aid to Nigeria until we start to see a meaningful reduction in attacks, perpetrators arrested and lands restored."
While not mentioning the attacks on Christians, a State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital, "The United States remains deeply concerned by the ongoing violence in West Africa, including in Nigeria's Middle Belt. We offer our condolences to the victims' families of recent violence in Plateau State.
"We also continue to engage with the government of Nigeria at the highest levels to address (the) root causes of violence, and we strongly advocate for the protection of all citizens.
"We acknowledge (Nigerian) President Tinubu's commitment to address the causes of the violence and urge the government to take meaningful and decisive steps to prevent further attacks, ensure accountability for perpetrators and foster long-term peace and stability "
In Nigeria, Bishop Matawal cautioned that, this Easter weekend, "Christian communities are on high alert, especially during church services and religious gatherings."
"Nigerian Christians are carrying their cross every day, yet their hope rises like the resurrection," King said. "Easter is all about life winning over death, and these Christians are living that out. But let's raise a cry and say "we hear you, we are with you, hold on just a bit longer."
Fox News Digital reached out to the Nigerian government but did not receive a response.