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CV NEWS FEED // A recent data report from a global humanitarian organization designated Nigeria as the deadliest country in the world for Christians, as almost 10,000 Christians were killed between 2022 and 2024.
According to Global Christian Relief’s “2025 Red List,” Nigerian Christians are often targeted by Islamic extremist groups or killed in conflicts with armed Islamic herdsmen.
“Most of the killings are concentrated in the northern ‘sharia’ states, where Christians often live in remote villages in semi-arid landscapes, making them particularly vulnerable to attacks,” the report states. “Despite government assurances that they will defeat the extremists, the violence continues to escalate. Nigeria’s grim statistics are unmatched.”
One of the most recent cases of persecution in Nigeria occurred Jan. 7, when two Catholic nuns of the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary were kidnapped while traveling on their way back from a meeting.
The Washington Times reported that Christian persecution has begun to also appear in the southern part of Nigeria, where Christian farmers live, as the armed Fulani herdsmen migrate because of environmental changes.
Three other African countries — Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mozambique, and Ethiopia — were ranked as the world’s second-, third-, and fourth-deadliest countries, respectively, to be a Christian, based on the number of people killed between 2022 and 2024. Russia ranked fifth with 164 Christian deaths, which largely occurred in Muslim-dominated areas.
Other countries faced persecution in different manners. India saw almost 5,000 attacks against Christian homes and churches, and more than 1,500 arrests of Christians occurred in China .
The Washington Times reported that Brian Orme, acting chief executive of Global Christian Relief, stated in a press release that Christians under persecution have continued to demonstrate “remarkable resilience.”
“Even in the darkest circumstances, the Church not only survives but grows stronger — millions are choosing to follow Jesus despite knowing the risks they face,” he added.
As CatholicVote previously reported, persecution of Christians in Nigeria has been ongoing for years, and neither the country’s federal government or foreign powers are making serious efforts to attempt to moderate it. The Biden administration, CatholicVote reported in another article, repeatedly refused to add the country to its religious persecution watchlist, and declined to designate it as a Country of Particular Concern.
The Washington Times reported that Ron Boyd-MacMillan, Global Christian Relief’s chief of research and strategy, hopes that President-elect Donald Trump will advocate for religious freedom around the world after his inauguration.
