US Lawmaker Demands Nigeria Be Designated a “Country of Particular Concern” Over Christian Persecution.
A member of the United States Congress is calling for drastic diplomatic action against Nigeria, accusing the West African nation of allowing the systematic “persecution and slaughter” of its Christian population and urging the State Department to officially label it a state sponsor of severe religious persecution.
In a formal letter to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Representative Riley Moore (R-WV) described Nigeria as “the deadliest place in the world to be a Christian” and implored the Trump administration not to “stand idly by.” He called for Nigeria to be designated as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), a formal classification for nations engaging in severe violations of religious freedom.
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The congressman’s letter outlines a harrowing statistical portrait of the violence, attributing the attacks primarily to Muslim extremist groups like ISIS-West Africa, Ansaru, and Boko Haram.
“The sheer number of Christians who suffer persecution daily for their faith, including the staggering number who have been murdered for proclaiming Jesus Christ as their savior is horrific,” Moore wrote. He cited a figure of more than 7,000 Christians killed in Nigeria in 2025 alone—an average of 35 murders per day—including specific massacres on Palm Sunday and in June.
Beyond the staggering death toll, the letter details a widespread campaign against Christian institutions, claiming that since 2009, an average of three churches have been attacked or destroyed every day, totaling over 19,100 churches. Furthermore, Moore alleged that at least 600 clergy from various denominations have been attacked since 2015.
Perhaps most damning are the accusations of government complicity. Moore argued that “corrupt cells of the Nigerian government may be complicit, and even directly involved, in some of these attacks.” He pointed to regional governments in the north allegedly facilitating the closure of Christian orphanages and forcibly converting children, as well as the enforcement of strict anti-blasphemy laws used to imprison individuals for insulting Islam.
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Representative Moore directly challenged the Nigerian government’s stance that the violence is a general terrorism issue affecting all faiths equally. “While Nigerians of all faiths face terrorism… Christians are far and away the most targeted for persecution and violence,” he stated, emphasizing that the attacks are “explicitly anti-Christian” in nature.
His request for action is two-fold:
- Redesignate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC). This designation was applied by the Trump administration but was revoked by President Biden. Moore echoed a previous letter sent by Senator Rubio himself, arguing that the situation has “only grown more dire.”
- Halt all US arms sales and associated technical support to Nigeria until the federal government demonstrates a sufficient commitment to protecting its Christian citizens and ending the “reign of persecution.”
The letter places significant pressure on the State Department to reevaluate its relationship with Nigeria, a key strategic partner in West Africa. If adopted, the proposed measures would represent a severe diplomatic reprimand and could impact security cooperation in the region. The Nigerian government has consistently denied allegations of complicity in religious persecution, setting the stage for a potential international confrontation over human rights and religious freedom.
Christian Genocide: US Lawmaker Demands Nigeria Be Designated a “Country of Particular Concern” Over Christian Persecution.
