The International Christian Concern (ICC) has officially included Nigeria among the most dangerous locations for Christians globally, citing extensive attacks by extremists and militants targeting Christian communities and seizing their lands over the past two decades.
In their 2023 report on global Christian persecution, the organization highlighted the alarming situation in Nigeria, referring to the ongoing violence against Christians as nothing short of genocide.
The report asserts that various armed groups, particularly in the North and Middle Belt regions, have been systematically targeting and displacing Christian populations.
Boko Haram, a notorious extremist group, has been attributed to a significant number of deaths, with the ICC emphasizing that the conflicts between herders and farmers are used as a facade to mask broader assaults against Christians.
The organization underscored the distressing situation, noting that it is not merely a conflict between herders and farmers but a calculated assault against Christians in the affected regions.
The ICC report further voiced concerns regarding Sharia law practised in certain Nigerian states, pointing out the challenges faced by non-Muslim religious communities in those regions and advocating for measures to uphold religious freedom.
It said, “Sharia law, as applied today in Nigeria, violates the principles of secularism and endangers non-Muslim religious communities in the northern and Middle Belt regions.
“Despite repeatedly claiming to be a secular nation, 12 northern states in Nigeria have adopted Islamic Sharia criminal law, meaning that Christians do not participate as equal members of society.
“Given its inherently religious nature, Sharia is problematic when applied, particularly when they are charged under criminal Sharia law.”
The organization urged the United States to reinstate Nigeria on the list of countries with severe violations of religious freedom.
It recommended specific actions to address religious freedom issues, proposing that U.S. foreign aid to Nigeria be contingent upon substantial improvements in religious freedom, including the repeal of blasphemy laws and the withdrawal of Sharia courts’ authority over criminal matters.
Alongside Nigeria, the ICC identified other countries such as North Korea, India, Iran, China, Pakistan, Eritrea, Algeria, Indonesia, and Azerbaijan as oppressive towards Christians in their recent report on global Christian persecution.
