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United States Senator Ted Cruz has accused Nigerian authorities of enabling the persecution of Christians by downplaying repeated mass killings and allowing the enforcement of Sharia-based policies across several northern states.
His statement comes as a response to a recent report by AP News that suggested the violence in Nigeria is not primarily religious.
In a strongly worded reaction posted on social media, Senator Cruz insisted that Nigeria has become “the epicentre of Christian persecution globally”, claiming more Christians are killed in Nigeria than in any other country in the world.
He alleged that over 50,000 Christians have been killed in recent years, while thousands of churches have been burnt or destroyed by extremist groups.
Cruz criticised the Nigerian government for “minimising or denying” religious motives behind the violence and instead attributing it to farmer-herder clashes or ethnic tensions.
“This is not random violence — Christians are being targeted because of their faith,” he said, accusing government officials of refusing to call the crisis what it is: religious persecution.
He further condemned the adoption and enforcement of Sharia law in 12 northern states in Nigeria, saying it institutionalises religious discrimination, restricts freedom of worship, and fuels further divisions.
According to Cruz, such policies embolden extremist groups like Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), and radicalised militia groups to continue attacks on Christian communities with little consequence.
The senator called on the U.S. State Department, particularly Secretary of State Marco Rubio, to redesignate Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) for severe violations of religious freedom — a designation Nigeria was removed from in 2021.
He urged the Trump administration to pressure Nigerian authorities to protect vulnerable communities, prosecute perpetrators, and end what he describes as “a horrific and preventable slaughter of innocent believers”.
Human rights groups and Christian organisations have also echoed similar concerns, accusing the Nigerian government of failing to provide adequate security in rural communities across Kaduna, Plateau, Benue, and Taraba states.
Meanwhile, Nigerian authorities continue to insist that the crisis is driven by banditry, land disputes, and socio-economic issues — not religion.
As the debate intensifies, international calls for accountability and intervention are growing louder, with many asking whether the global community can afford to stay silent while thousands of Christians continue to face violence, displacement, and death in Nigeria.
