US ambassador to UN calls persecution of Christians in Nigeria a genocide
Waltz stated that jihadists are systematically wiping out Christian communities in Nigeria, killing priests and civilians.
On 18 November 2025, Fox News reported that US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz for the first time described the persecution of Christians in Nigeria as “genocide wearing the mask of chaos.” He made this statement during a panel discussion at the US Mission to the UN, dedicated to the rising tide of religious violence in the country.
Waltz stressed that what is happening in Nigeria cannot be dismissed as ordinary outbreaks of violence. According to him, jihadist groups such as Boko Haram and Fulani militants are systematically attacking Christian villages, murdering clergy and destroying entire communities and congregations. “There is a body of evidence, and you are going to hear that from our experts today that paints a very grim picture of disproportionate suffering among Christians,” the diplomat said.
He cited specific attacks, emphasizing that the violence is deliberately directed at Christian communities. “Folks, we have an entire faith that is being erased. One bullet at a time, one torched Bible at a time,” Waltz said, noting that the situation demands an immediate international response.
Waltz’s remarks came shortly after President Donald Trump designated Nigeria a “country of particular concern” for religious freedom and publicly threatened strong measures against the terrorist groups responsible for killing believers. The United States is also considering a reassessment of its security policy in the region.
According to human rights organizations, the crisis has been ongoing for many years. Global Christian Relief, in its 2025 report, names Nigeria the most dangerous place in the world for Christians, where killings and abductions occur primarily in the northern and central regions.
Earlier, the UOJ reported that in Nigeria, Islamists killed more than 20 Christians in a single day.
