A United States lawmaker has drawn attention to the growing threat against Christian clergy in Nigeria, citing alarming reports of targeted killings and kidnappings. Representative Riley M. Moore of West Virginia shared details on X, emphasizing the scale and brutality of the attacks.
According to Moore, “Priests, pastors, and seminarians are routinely targeted for kidnapping and killing, with more than 250 clergy killed in the past decade.” He further highlighted a particularly tragic incident earlier this year, noting that “on Ash Wednesday of this year, Fr. Sylvester Okechukwu was kidnapped and brutally murdered.”
The X post emphasizes a pattern of violence that has increasingly put religious leaders in Nigeria at risk. These attacks are part of a broader context of religious persecution, with clergy facing threats not only from extremist groups like Boko Haram and ISWAP but also from other militant actors responsible for massacres, kidnappings, and church burnings.
Representative Moore’s statement comes amid discussions in the United States House of Representatives regarding a resolution condemning religious persecution in Nigeria. The resolution supports President Donald Trump’s decision to redesignate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) due to serious violations of religious freedom. It calls for stronger US diplomatic, economic, and security measures to pressure the Nigerian government to protect Christian communities and end impunity for perpetrators of religiously motivated violence.
The resolution also urges Nigeria to safeguard clergy and religious institutions, repeal blasphemy laws, and release individuals imprisoned for their faith. View, More,
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