Nigeria remains world’s deadliest country for Christians – Open Doors Report

Nigeria remains the most violent country in the world for Christians, with believers facing widespread killings, abductions, displacement and systemic discrimination, according to a new report by international Christian advocacy group, Open Doors.

The report notes that Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation with an estimated Christian population of over 107 million, has for several consecutive years topped global rankings for violence against Christians. While the country operates a federal presidential system under President Bola Ahmed Adekunle Tinubu, religious freedom remains severely threatened in many regions.

According to Open Doors, persecution is most severe in northern Nigeria, where 12 states operate under Islamic (Sharia) law. In these states, Christians are often treated as second-class citizens, while converts from Islam face extreme danger, including death threats, mob violence and forced displacement.

Violent Islamist groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) continue to target Christian individuals, churches and properties across the north and parts of the Middle Belt. The report also highlights sustained attacks by militant Fulani herdsmen, who are accused of disproportionately targeting Christian farming communities, particularly in Nigeria’s central region, leaving thousands dead and millions displaced.

In recent years, the violence has spread beyond the north, reaching parts of southern Nigeria. Open Doors attributes much of this to armed Fulani militants operating from forested areas. In the South-East, the report identifies the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a separatist group, as another source of insecurity for Christians, particularly church leaders who refuse to align with the group’s ideology.

“Persecution is most acute in the north, where militant groups operate with near impunity,” the report stated, adding that the situation remains unstable and underreported.

Christians living under Sharia law are described as especially vulnerable, while accusations of blasphemy or insults against the Prophet Muhammad often trigger deadly vigilante attacks.

The report also recounts testimonies from survivors. One victim, identified as Rifkatu, said she was abducted and raped by Fulani militants because of her faith. “They did this to us because we are Christians. Since I went to that camp, all those who were kidnapped, I didn’t see any Muslims held there,” she said.

Open Doors said violence against Christians continued unabated in the past year, with hundreds killed or forced to flee their homes in coordinated attacks. The group noted that most assaults were carried out by militant Fulani herdsmen, Boko Haram, ISWAP, and emerging extremist factions.

As a result, Nigeria has once again been ranked among the top 10 countries on the World Watch List, a global index of nations where Christians face the highest levels of persecution.

The organisation called for increased international attention and urgent action to protect vulnerable Christian communities, stressing that the scale and persistence of violence in Nigeria now represent one of the gravest religious freedom crises in the world.