- Resolution urges U.S. and international action to protect Nigerian Christians amid widespread religious persecution
- ADF International endorses the resolution and applauds the call to further protect religious freedom in Nigeria following the Trump administration’s move to designate it as a “Country of Particular Concern”
WASHINGTON, D.C. (4 November 2025) – Today, U.S. Congressman Riley Moore (R-WV) introduced a resolution condemning the ongoing persecution of Christians in Nigeria and calling for urgent action following the United States government’s recent designation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC). President Donald Trump recently asked Congressman Moore and the House Appropriations Committee to lead Congressional investigations and recommendations to combat the persecution of Christians in Nigeria. The designation recognizes the severe and systematic violations of religious freedom facing Nigerian Christians and opens the door for strong diplomatic and other measures to hold perpetrators accountable.
“Jihadists are carrying out a systematic campaign of widespread religiously-motivated attacks against Nigerian Christians. The evidence is overwhelming: targeted killings, massacres during holy days, and a death toll that exceeds the rest of the world combined,” said Sean Nelson, Senior Counsel for Global Religious Freedom at ADF International.
“We commend Congressman Moore for this decisive leadership in response to the President’s clarion call to defend persecuted Christians in Nigeria and globally. The United States must use every diplomatic and economic tool available to ensure that Christians in Nigeria can live and worship without fear of violence or death.”
“We commend Congressman Moore for this decisive leadership in response to the President’s clarion call to defend persecuted Christians in Nigeria and globally. The United States must use every diplomatic and economic tool available to ensure that Christians in Nigeria can live and worship without fear of violence or death."
The resolution identifies “Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province, and Fulani militant groups” as the main jihadist groups targeting Christians in Nigeria, while also describing “the Nigerian Government’s failure to act in defense of Christians.” The resolution calls on the U.S. to pressure the Nigerian government to end impunity for attacks, proactively protect Christian communities and clergy from attacks, return internally-displaced persons to their homelands, and repeal the country’s draconian blasphemy laws and release prisoners detained for their faith. The resolution also calls for the delivery of humanity aid directly to victims in coordination with international nongovernmental and faith-based organizations
Moore has previously introduced legislative measures addressing violations of religious freedom, underscoring the global crisis of Christian persecution. Today’s resolution continues that effort and reinforces bipartisan congressional concern regarding Nigeria’s record numbers of Christian deaths and violations against religious freedom.
“This resolution condemns the horrific persecution of Christians in Nigeria. For far too long, the world has turned a blind eye to the suffering of innocent Christians—entire villages destroyed, churches burned, pastors tortured, families torn apart. This grave suffering must end now,” said Representative Riley Moore.
“I’m calling on all my colleagues – both Republican and Democrat alike – to unite in defense of faith and freedom. The United States must make it clear that we will not tolerate the slaughter of Christians or the persecution of anyone for their belief in Jesus Christ. I want to thank President Trump for his bold and unwavering leadership in defense of Christians in Nigeria. His official designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern will save the lives of thousands of Christians.”
The U.S. Congress has taken significant notice of the situation in Nigeria following the Trump administration’s designation of the country as a CPC. Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ), who for years has led efforts to highlight the issue of religious persecution in Nigeria within Congress, introduced a resolution earlier this week affirming support for Nigeria’s CPC status. In addition, thirty-one members of the House Values Action Team have issued statements commending the designation.
Background
Recent estimates indicate that more than 7,000 Christians have been killed for their faith in 2025 alone — an average of 35 Christians murdered every day — adding to the more than 50,000–100,000 Christian deaths since Boko Haram’s insurgency began in 2009. More than 19,000 churches have been attacked or destroyed, and in Benue and Plateau States alone, more than 9,500 individuals, mostly Christians, were killed between May 2023 and May 2025, with roughly half a million newly displaced.
Nigeria remains one of only seven countries worldwide that retain a death-penalty blasphemy law, enforced across twelve northern states. ADF International provides legal support to individuals wrongly imprisoned under these laws, including Sufi musician Yahaya Sharif-Aminu and Christian mother Rhoda Jatau, who endured imprisonment for alleged “blasphemy.” Sharif-Aminu’s case is currently before the Supreme Court of Nigeria, with the potential to overturn northern Nigeria’s blasphemy regime.
