Trump Condemns Killings of Christians in Nigeria, Vows Strong Response

The United States has issued a forceful condemnation of a recent surge in deadly attacks against Christians in Nigeria and across sub-Saharan Africa, describing the violence as “horrific” and pledging decisive action in partnership with international allies.

The latest outrage follows a string of brutal incidents, including the massacre of 27 Christians in Bindi Ta-Hoss, a village in Nigeria’s Plateau State, where survivors say Islamist Fulani militants stormed a church and set it ablaze.

Eyewitness accounts paint a grim picture. “I lost my wife and second daughter in the attack,” said survivor Solomon Sunday. “They were burned alive.” Many of the dead were women and children who had sought shelter in the church.

Just days earlier, on July 27, militants in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo slaughtered 49 worshippers with machetes during prayers. Authorities there have blamed the Allied Democratic Forces, an ISIS-linked armed group.

Across the region, Islamist extremists – among them Boko Haram and ISIS West Africa – are accused of systematically targeting Christian communities for killings, displacement, and land seizures.

In a statement, the Trump administration said it “condemns in the strongest terms this horrific violence against Christians,” stressing that religious freedom is both a moral imperative and a central U.S. foreign policy priority.

“People are being killed like chickens, and nothing is being done,” lamented local youth leader D’Young Mangut, reflecting widespread frustration among affected communities.

Figures from the advocacy group Open Doors underscore the scale of the crisis: more Christians are killed for their faith in Nigeria than in all other countries combined. Over the last decade, jihadist violence in sub-Saharan Africa has claimed an estimated 150,000 lives and displaced more than 16 million Christians. In Plateau State alone, armed Fulani militants are reported to have seized control of more than 64 communities.

Religious leaders warn that the violence is part of a deliberate campaign. Bishop Wilfred Anagbe, who recently lost 20 parishioners in an attack, accused militants of seeking to transform parts of Nigeria into an Islamic state.

Victims’ families say they have grown weary of empty condolences and demand concrete measures to protect vulnerable areas. Advocacy groups are calling on African governments to restore displaced communities, enforce justice against perpetrators, and strengthen security around at-risk villages.

“For too long, nobody has been talking about the horrific wholesale slaughter of Christians,” said Henrietta Blyth, CEO of Open Doors UK and Ireland. “The Western world needs to wake up and be outraged.”