The statements made by President Trump on his Truth Social platform last Friday (31st October) about Nigeria caused quite a stir. Trump stated that Nigeria would once again be designated a ‘country of special concern’. He also emphasised the need to protect Christians, citing figures from Open Doors. These statements made the news and provoked a backlash. The backlash was mainly triggered by a second message in which Trump indicated that America would stop providing aid and was considering launching an armed attack against terrorists if the Nigerian government did not take action.
Update: joint statement by Dutch organisations >
Open Doors welcomes the fact that Nigeria has once again been included on the list of countries of special concern. It is crucial that attention is drawn to the appalling violence perpetrated against Christians and other religious groups, where the perpetrators often evade any form of prosecution. Trump cited figures from the 2025 World Watch List, which indicate that, in the last research period (October 2023 to September 2024), 4,476 Christians worldwide were killed because of their faith. The vast majority of these deaths – 3,100 – occurred in Nigeria.
In media responses following this report, Trump’s statements were questioned. Data from the research bureau Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED) was cited, which reports lower figures for the number of Christians murdered for their faith in Nigeria. ACLED conducts general research into violent conflicts worldwide. Open Doors is familiar with their data and also uses it.
Thanks to its extensive network of local contacts and the Observatory for Religious Freedom in Africa’s (ORFA) research, Open Doors often has additional information about armed conflicts and attacks. This allows us to determine more accurately whether religion plays a role in such situations.
It seems that, along with factors like tribal background, wealth disparities, and the rise of nomadic communities due to climate change, religion frequently has a decisive impact. ORFA’s research shows that Muslims and followers of other religions are also targeted by terrorist organisations such as Boko Haram, ISWAP and Fulani militants.
It is striking, however, that Christians are much more often the target and victims of attacks. Data from October 2019 to September 2023 shows that Christians were more than six times more likely to be victims of murder than Muslims, the other large religious group in the country. In the case of kidnappings, this figure was five times higher. New figures up to and including 2025 are expected in early January.
What we’re saying is, we want to make sure that violence in Nigeria isn’t just a numbers game. More attention must be paid to the ongoing violence in the country and the impunity that prevails. Thoroughly investigating the origins of the violence will help to find solutions. Affected communities are desperate for protection; perpetrators must be brought to justice; and the Nigerian government must prioritise providing practical assistance and recovery support to all affected individuals.
Through the ‘Break the Silence’ petition, we are answering the call of African Christians. With a record number of 1 million signatures, Open Doors wants to encourage politicians and international partnerships worldwide to take action for Christians in Africa. Sign the petition to give a voice to persecuted Christians in Nigeria.
Update after publication:
Joint statement
Today, the Dutch organisations Open Doors, SDOK and Stichting HVC issued a joint statement. In the statement, they address the confusion caused by various media outlets regarding the persecution of Christians in Nigeria.
“Various parties dispute the number of Christians murdered in the country. This threatens to downplay the seriousness of the violence and ignore the suffering of thousands of Nigerians.”
“Having worked with churches and communities in Nigeria for many years, we have witnessed first-hand the consequences of this violence. In villages and towns, families are being murdered, churches are being burned down, and Christian farmers are being driven from their land. Behind every statistic is a name, a family and a community in mourning.“
“The situation in Nigeria is complex, with ethnic tensions, poverty and climate factors certainly playing a role, but religion is also undeniably a key factor. Extremist groups such as Boko Haram, ISWAP and jihadist Fulani militias have openly declared their intention to drive out or exterminate Christians. This is a reality that we must not ignore.“
“We call on the Nigerian and our own governments to break their silence. It is urgent that vulnerable communities are protected, that perpetrators are brought to justice, and that international pressure is exerted to end impunity.”
“The victims in Nigeria deserve our solidarity, not our debate.”
