THIS DAWN — The United Kingdom’s All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for International Freedom of Religion or Belief has issued a stark warning that Nigeria may be witnessing an unfolding genocide against Christians, driven by a mix of extremist violence, ethnic tension, and political neglect.
In its latest report, the APPG — comprising more than 100 British MPs and Peers from across party lines — paints a chilling picture of mass killings, village burnings, and systematic persecution of Christians and ethnic minorities.
The group accuses the Nigerian government of “willful negligence — at worst, complicity” in allowing the atrocities to persist.
Though not an official publication of the UK Parliament, the report reflects a bipartisan commitment to defending freedom of religion and belief, as enshrined in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
A Nation Under Siege
Nigeria ranks 12th on the Open Doors World Watch List of countries where Christians face the most severe persecution — ahead of countries such as Iraq and Egypt.
Testimonies in the APPG report reveal unrelenting assaults by Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), and armed Fulani militias on predominantly Christian communities across the country’s northern and central regions.
In Borno and Adamawa states, entire villages have been razed and churches burned.
The report recounts the horrific 2019 beheading of Martha Bulus, a bride-to-be killed alongside her bridal party by Boko Haram insurgents.
Church leaders describe these killings as ritualistic and systematic, part of a broader campaign to eliminate Christianity from parts of Nigeria.
Fulani Militias and a Crisis of Coexistence
What began as a farmer-herder conflict over land and grazing rights has evolved into an ethno-religious war.
Environmental pressures, desertification, and population growth have deepened tensions between Fulani herders — who are predominantly Muslim — and Christian farming communities.
According to Amnesty International, between 2016 and 2018 alone, over 3,600 people were killed and 5,000 homes destroyed in attacks attributed to Fulani militias.
The International Crisis Group estimates that more than 300,000 people have been displaced and that farmer-herder violence now kills six times more civilians than Boko Haram.
These attacks have devastated rural economies, costing Nigeria an estimated £10.5 billion annually.
Religious Cleansing and Mass Killings
Survivor testimonies collected by the APPG describe targeted ethnic and religious killings.
In Plateau and Benue states, witnesses recounted how assailants stormed villages at night, shouting “Allahu Akbar” while torching homes and slaughtering inhabitants.
Over 500 churches have reportedly been destroyed in Benue State alone. Victims’ accounts are haunting.
Deaconess Susan Essam from Jos described the killing of an entire Christian family, while Veronica from Dogon Noma woke up beside the mutilated body of her six-year-old daughter.
The Nigerian House of Representatives declared the Plateau killings “genocide” as early as 2018, yet the bloodshed continues unabated.
Security Failures and Political Complicity
The APPG accuses the Nigerian authorities of systematic failure to protect citizens.
Security forces have ignored warnings of impending attacks and failed to prosecute perpetrators.
Reports from Amnesty International document widespread military and police abuses, including extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detention, and torture.
The case of Leah Sharibu, the 14-year-old girl abducted by Boko Haram in 2018 for refusing to renounce her Christian faith, remains emblematic of this failure.
She has been in captivity ever since.
Multiple Drivers of Conflict
The APPG identifies a complex web of factors driving Nigeria’s insecurity:
- Resource scarcity and environmental degradation in the North;
- Extremist ideology promoted by Boko Haram and ISWAP;
- Political manipulation exploiting religious divisions;
- Criminal opportunism through kidnapping and cattle rustling; and,
- Proliferation of arms, aided by instability across the Sahel.
Social media misinformation has further inflamed tensions, spreading fear and retaliatory violence among already divided communities.
Torture, Impunity, and Systemic Abuse
Beyond the killings, the APPG found evidence of systematic torture and human rights abuses by Nigeria’s police and military.
Detainees, including women and minors, are subjected to physical and psychological abuse, with many dying in custody.
Security personnel often act with complete impunity, shielded by corrupt justice systems and weak oversight.
The report urges Nigeria to criminalize all forms of torture and allow independent monitoring of detention facilities.
Recommendations and the Road Ahead
The APPG calls for urgent domestic and international action to stem the violence and hold perpetrators accountable.
Its recommendations include:
- Prosecuting all security officers involved in torture and extrajudicial killings;
- Ensuring detainees’ rights to legal counsel, family contact, and medical care;
- Reforming the criminal justice system to protect witnesses and compensate victims;
- Training police and military personnel on human rights standards;
- Ratifying international treaties, including the Optional Protocol to the ICCPR; and
- Collaborating with global partners to ensure that arms transfers and military aid are not used to violate human rights.
A Call to Action
The APPG’s Chair, Jim Shannon MP, issued a stark warning:
“We must not hesitate to say what is happening. Crimes against humanity are being committed, and the world must respond.”
The report concludes that unless Nigeria confronts the realities of ethnic and religious violence with honesty and urgency, it risks descending further into chaos.
For a nation already burdened by corruption, poverty, and political fragmentation, the stakes could not be higher.
The choice before Nigeria’s leaders is clear — to face the facts, or to let silence pave the path to genocide.
The full APPG document can be downloaded here.
