US lawmakers Wednesday said in their findings on the alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria that the West African country was the “deadliest” place in the world to be a Christian.
A report on the findings also said that Christians were “subject to ongoing violent attacks” from armed militias and terrorist groups.
The report said blasphemy laws in Nigeria’s northern states are used to silence speech and dissent, target Christians and minorities, and “justify so-called ‘convictions’ without due process.”
igeria faces a complex security challenge from many different armed groups and thousands are killed annually. But the victims are both Christians and Muslims.
Plus, other attacks also occur as part of conflicts between farmers and herders over dwindling resources like land. Other battles involve ransoms for kidnappings and sectarian tensions.
President Donald Trump last year designated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern,” due to alleged violations of religious freedom. He said Christianity was facing an “existential threat” in Nigeria.
Nigeria, with a population of 237 million people, is roughly divided between a Muslim-majority north and a Christian-dominated south.
Northern Nigeria has remained affected by the decade-and-a-half-long Islamist insurgency led by Boko Haram and affiliates of the “Islamic State” group.
