Americans can’t close our eyes to the murder of Christians in Nigeria

On Christmas Day, U.S. forces unleashed targeted rocket and drone strikes successful Nigeria against Islamist terrorists who had been sidesplitting Christians and different civilians with impunity. 

It propelled Nigeria into the headlines and caught galore Americans unaware of the increasing struggle successful Africa betwixt Christians, extremist Islam, and others that is spreading crossed the sub-Saharan Sahel region. 

But I had conscionable been connected a fact-finding ngo to Nigeria a week earlier and, though U.S.  Africa Command’s kinetic enactment was a surprise, it was not wholly unexpected. In November, President Donald Trump had made wide to Nigeria’s leaders that they had to bash much to combat terrorism. This onslaught resulted from adjacent practice betwixt Nigerian and American subject planners. 

In the nation’s capital, Abuja, I knelt successful the Christian Reformed Church of Nigeria the play earlier Christmas and prayed with Christians who live, enactment and worship successful a superior that — astatine slightest for present — inactive feels normal. Kids fidgeted successful the pews. Families sang. It wasn’t that antithetic than my parish astatine location successful Spokane, Washington.

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Funerals for immoderate 27 Christians who were reportedly killed by Islamist Fulani tribesmen successful the colony of Bindi Ta-hoss, Nigeria connected July, 28, 2025. (Courtesy: Christian Solidarity International – CSI)

Yet, astatine the aforesaid time, successful the mediate loop of Nigeria, Christian farmers went to slumber wondering if equipped men volition travel successful the nighttime — if their colony would beryllium raided, their religion burned, their pastor threatened, their daughters taken, their sons killed, their farms looted.  

That opposition — bid successful the capital, fearfulness successful the countryside — is wherefore our legislature delegation came to conscionable with authorities officials.  

We met with religion leaders, Christians and others, who described what it means to unrecorded nether threat. The standard is staggering. Estimates successful the legislature grounds accidental much than 7,000 Christians were killed successful 2025 and implicit 19,000 churches person been attacked oregon destroyed; and Vatican News reports much than 52,000 Christians person been killed since 2009.

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Islamic coercion is not a occupation we tin privation distant and Nigeria is acold much captious to American information than astir radical realize. 

Nigeria is Africa’s largest country, and earlier 2050 it is projected to turn to a colonisation of 400 million, to the 3rd astir populous overtaking the United States. It is location to immense lipid and mineral resources, including uncommon earths, but the unstable governmental concern keeps 1 of the world’s astir important democracies successful the dilatory lane.  

As we commencement a caller year, Americans volition determination connected from the Christmas headlines. Nigeria can’t. And neither should we.

CHRISTIANS TARGETED IN SYSTEMATIC KIDNAPPING CAMPAIGN IN NIGERIA BY JIHADI HERDSMEN, EXPERTS SAY

Nigeria is plagued with aggregate convulsive groups, from transgression gangs to an Islamic extremist dimension: Boko Haram and ISIS-linked terrorists successful the Northeast, and — acold person to Nigeria’s heartland — Fulani jihadi militias that person terrorized agrarian communities, driven families disconnected their land, and made mean beingness impossible. 

The Nigerian authorities faces existent challenges. The Fulani jihadi militias successful parts of the Middle Belt are a solvable trial of governmental will: disarm the militias, apprehension and prosecute ringleaders, and supply basal extortion truthful Christian farmers tin enactment connected their land. The Boko Haram/ISIS-linked insurgency volition necessitate harder, longer effort — it is an entrenched web with transnational ties that recruits, holds territory, and grows. 

Islamic coercion is not a occupation we tin privation distant and Nigeria is acold much captious to American information than astir radical realize. 

We met with Nigerian officials to perceive however they measure the menace and wherever they request help. The champion conversations were frank: Nigeria’s information services are stretched; the state is trying to support halfway areas unafraid portion unit persists successful the periphery; and the combat is not lone subject — it’s astir governance, accountability and nationalist trust. 

America cannot — and should not — effort to beryllium the world’s policeman. But "not policing the world" does not mean closing our eyes to existent violent threats.

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America does not person to perpetrate boots connected the crushed and drift into the everlastingly wars of the past 2 decades to marque a difference: supplying weapons, arsenic we person done successful Ukraine, and targeted strikes, similar those that brought the Houthis and Iranian mullahs to heel, tin person a decisive impact. 

In this photograph released by Christian Association of Nigeria, a antheral locomotion past belongings astatine the St. Mary's Catholic Primary and Secondary School aft gunmen abducted children and unit successful Papiri community, Nigeria, Friday, Nov. 21, 2025. (Christian Association of Nigeria via AP)

U.S. engagement is key: improving quality cooperation, targeting the financing networks that nett from kidnapping, and backing reforms that marque information forces much nonrecreational and much trusted.

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At the aforesaid time, we could larn from the Israelis who person made it wide that sidesplitting Israeli Jews volition beryllium met with fierce retribution, nary substance wherever it happens. We should person the backbone to accidental the aforesaid astir Christian communities, with our words — and with our Tomahawk missiles. 

In Abuja, I prayed successful peace. Not acold away, families prayed conscionable to past the night. The Christmas onslaught connected ISIS was a reminder that jihadist panic is inactive expanding — and Nigeria is connected the beforehand line. Religious state is worthy defending. And America cannot unreal this menace doesn’t matter. Nigeria’s leaders request to enactment present by protecting communities, ending impunity, and proving the authorities tin govern.