Nigeria, a nation of vibrant diversity, is silently enduring a brutal and escalating conflict that has largely escaped the sustained attention it desperately needs. This is not merely a localized dispute over resources; it is an “unseen war” where Christian communities are being systematically targeted, suffering a devastating bloodbath that, alarmingly, appears to be fueling the expansionist ambitions of Islamic extremist groups.
The scale of this violence is staggering, positioning Nigeria as the most dangerous country for Christians globally, accounting for a shocking 90% of all faith-related Christian killings worldwide.
The statistics paint a grim picture. Between November 2022 and November 2024 alone, nearly 10,000 Christians were brutally murdered. Beyond the fatalities, abductions have become a pervasive terror, with Nigeria recording 9,311 incidents — a figure that dwarfs the next closest country by 9,000. These are not random acts; they are calculated assaults designed to sow fear and destabilize communities. The Christmas Eve 2023 massacres in Plateau State, which claimed almost 200 lives in predominantly Christian villages, were followed by further attacks in January 2024, killing 14 Christians returning from church. More recently, June 2025 saw over 218 people killed and 6,000 displaced in Benue State, while August so far has brought nine more deaths in Agatu’s Christian farming communities.
The strategic timing of these attacks, often coinciding with Christian holidays, underscores a deliberate religious targeting, extending far beyond simplistic explanations of farmer-herder clashes.
It’s Not Climate Change
The perpetrators of this violence are a complex web of radicalized Fulani herdsmen, the notorious Boko Haram, the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP), and other bandit groups. While competition for resources, exacerbated by climate change, plays a role, it is increasingly intertwined with and often used to obscure a clear ethno-religious agenda.
As Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State starkly put it, the situation has evolved “way beyond farmer-herder crisis” and now involves “bandits and terrorists.” Crucially, abductions have become a “devastating industry,” siphoning wealth from Christian communities to directly fund Boko Haram, ISWAP, and Al-Qaeda affiliates. This transforms terror into a financially self-sustaining enterprise, making the conflict not just ideologically driven but also profit-driven.
This war remains “unseen” largely due to a troubling lack of effective government response and, at times, alleged complicity. Despite presidential visits and pledges to restore peace, the Nigerian government’s actions are widely criticized as inadequate. Communities report limited protection and slow response times, often hampered by poor infrastructure. A critical failing is the pervasive absence of justice; as of August 2025, no official arrests had been made in connection with the Agatu attacks.
Critics, including Christian Solidarity Worldwide, accuse the government of failing to acknowledge the ongoing violence perpetrated by Fulani militants, suggesting it may be “doing little to stop it.” Exhibit A: Christian schoolgirl Leah Sharibu was kidnapped in 2018 and, despite public protests, is still held captive. The government’s narrative, often attributing violence to climate change rather than religious persecution, appears to be a strategic attempt to deflect international scrutiny and avoid more severe designations.
International Outrage
Internationally, there is growing alarm — yet a unified, robust response remains elusive. The United Nations has condemned the attacks, and the European Parliament has raised pointed questions about the targeted nature of the violence.
In the U.S., the debate over redesignating Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) is fierce. Nigeria was controversially removed from this list in 2021, with the State Department attributing violence to climate change. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) and the U.S. House of Representatives have widely criticized this decision and consistently call for its reinstatement.
More critically, respected legal and academic bodies are increasingly using the term “genocide” to describe the situation. Genocide Watch, for instance, has categorized Nigeria at “Stage 9: Extermination” and “Stage 10: Denial,” urging an independent fact-finding commission. Such a designation would compel a much stronger international legal and humanitarian response.
The crisis in Nigeria is not a distant, abstract problem; it is a profound human tragedy unfolding before our eyes. The systematic targeting of Christians, the economic exploitation through abductions, and the apparent governmental inaction demand immediate and decisive intervention. The international community must overcome its internal policy disagreements and recognize this for what it is: a religiously motivated campaign of terror with genocidal implications.
Only through a concerted, multifaceted approach — demanding accountability from the Nigerian government, providing robust protection to vulnerable communities, and acknowledging the true nature of this “unseen war” — can we hope to stem the tide of this Christian bloodbath and prevent further devastation.
Amine Ayoub is a policy analyst and writer based in Morocco.
