The U.S. government, under Donald Trump’s leadership, has issued a strong denouncement of the relentless and deadly assaults on Christians in Nigeria and other parts of sub-Saharan Africa. Officials pledged to work closely with global partners to confront the growing crisis.
In statements from both the White House and the State Department, the violence was described as horrific, with assurances that there would be a firm and deliberate response.
According to reports, the administration reaffirmed its stance that defending religious freedom is not just a political priority, but a moral obligation.
This condemnation comes in the wake of several brutal incidents. In the Nigerian village of Bindi Ta-hoss, Islamist Fulani militants carried out a massacre that claimed 27 lives. Witnesses recounted harrowing scenes—many victims, including women and children, were trapped and burned alive inside a church.
One survivor, Solomon Sunday, shared his loss: “I lost my wife and my second daughter in the attack. They were burned alive.”
Just days later, on July 27, another tragedy struck. In the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, 49 worshippers were killed during prayers, reportedly at the hands of Allied Democratic Forces militants linked to ISIS.
Across the region, extremist groups such as Boko Haram and ISIS West Africa have been accused of carrying out killings, displacements, and land seizures targeting Christian communities.
Human rights advocates have warned that these acts amount to an organized campaign of ethnic and religious cleansing.
John Eibner, president of Christian Solidarity International, described the situation in Nigeria’s Plateau State as “grisly and commonplace,” noting that over 165 Christians have been killed there in just four months. He added that similar atrocities are becoming more frequent in predominantly Christian areas of Congo and Mozambique.
Local voices echo the same frustration. “People are being killed like chickens, and nothing is being done,” said youth leader D’Young Mangut.
International watchdog group Open Doors reports that Nigeria accounts for more Christian killings than the rest of the world combined. Over the past ten years, jihadist attacks in sub-Saharan Africa have claimed around 150,000 lives and forced more than 16 million Christians from their homes.
In Plateau State alone, over 64 communities have reportedly fallen under the control of armed Fulani militants.
Religious leaders say the violence is calculated and unchecked. Bishop Wilfred Anagbe, who recently lost 20 parishioners to an attack, accused the perpetrators of trying to turn parts of Nigeria into an Islamic stronghold. Families of victims, weary of sympathy messages, are now demanding genuine and lasting protection.
