Last year, violence against Christians in Nigeria made headlines worldwide, prompting the White House to reinstate the West African nation’s Country of Particular Concern (CPC) status on Oct. 31, 2025. Under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, CPC status is given to nations that commit or tolerate “particularly severe violations of religious freedom,” including, in Nigeria’s case, failing to protect Christians from violent extremists.
‘Most violet place in the world’
This designation resulted in collaborative strikes against Islamist terrorists by the U.S. and Nigerian militaries, but one year later, Nigeria remains “the most violent place in the world” for Christians.
According to Open Doors, at least 3,490 Nigerian believers were killed for their faith in 2025. Tragically, this year’s death toll is already higher. A September report by Equipping the Persecuted recorded 4,216 known murders of Christians between Jan. 1 and Sept. 8 — and there could be many more that we don’t know about due to reporting challenges.
Threat to Christians
The situation in Nigeria is complex, and the threat to Christians varies by region.
In the Muslim-majority north, Islamic terror groups like Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province, which have ties to Islamic State, are seeking to establish a caliphate. These groups “specifically target believers” for acts of violence.
Other dangers come from within northern believers’ communities.
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