Nigeria Ranked Second on Genocide List as Republican Party Pushes for Sanctions
Killings of Christians by Islamic terrorists have escalated significantly since President Biden rescinded the Country of Particular Concern designation in 2021, according to a report by the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety).
The report indicates that Nigeria is now the second deadliest country for genocide worldwide, with over 150,000 deaths attributed to Islamic extremists over the past 15 years. The figures are just behind Syria, ravaged by civil war since 2011 with over 306,000 civilian deaths.
Intersociety’s report also highlights the destruction of more than 18,500 churches in Nigeria, with the past 13 months seeing over 8,222 Christians killed. The Fulani jihadists were blamed for the majority of deaths, accounting for at least 6,700 Christian fatalities, while Boko Haram and other insurgent groups were responsible for 500 deaths.
The remaining 1,000 deaths were at the hands of “Islamic-inspired” government security forces.
Despite the high death toll, the U.S. State Department excluded Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) in its 2023 International Religious Freedom Reports, disregarding the United States Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)’s recommendation to re-designate Nigeria.
Nigeria was previously designated a CPC by President Trump’s administration in 2020. However, the label was dropped by the Biden administration when President Joe Biden took office in 2021.
Since Nigeria was removed from the CPC list, Christian massacres have increased by over 15%, with over 8,000 deaths reported in 2023 alone. Various efforts are being made in the U.S. House of Representatives to push for sanctions against Nigeria to address the escalating violence.
In response to these developments, a resolution urging U.S. authorities to label Nigeria as one of the world’s worst violators of religious freedom was approved by the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee on February 6.
The attacks and violence perpetrated against Christians in Nigeria have caused widespread concern and led to appeals for international intervention to address the ongoing crisis.
A 3-Year-Old Sole Survivor
Terrorists launched simultaneous attacks in over 30 villages south of Jos from December 23, killing hundreds of Christian residents. More than 19,000 people were displaced in the attacks concentrated in Bokkos county. Amnesty International described the weeklong massacres as ‘horrific.’
Daily attacks
“It is concerning that attacks are still going on despite the presence of security forces in this local government,” Monday Kassah, chairman of Bokkos county, told The Epoch Times. “No day passes by without one incident or the other,” he said in a telephone interview.
Despite ongoing attacks, there is acknowledgment that placing Nigeria back on the CPC list could compel the government to address the persecution of Christians and Shia Muslims and bring greater international attention to the crisis.
Members of the UK Houses also applauded the U.S. House resolution, emphasizing the need for political will to end the tragedies afflicting thousands of innocent Nigerian civilians. However, some Nigerian officials have expressed skepticism about the impact of external influence on resolving the crisis.
Despite differing opinions, the urgent need to address the escalating violence and protect innocent lives in Nigeria is a matter of international concern.
‘Pure Genocide’
Rev. Panya describes the ongoing atrocities as religiously and ideologically motivated, targeting Christian communities in the middle belt region of Nigeria. Outlining the severity of the situation, he categorically states that, “It is time for the U.S. and other Western governments to come and intervene and stop these killings.”
Several shocking incidents underscore the severity of the crisis, including the recent massacre of innocent Christian civilians, despite ongoing attacks and international efforts to address the situation.
