Chris Smith Decries Brutal Anti-Christian Persecution in Nigeria

Systematic Violence Against Christians in Nigeria

• 🎯 Nigeria is identified as the focal point of the world's most brutal and murderous anti-Christian persecution.
• ⚠️ Moderate Muslims who oppose radical Islamists or serial killers are also murdered.
• 🇺🇸 The US has redesignated Nigeria as a country of particular concern for severe violations of religious freedom.

Testimonies of Violence and Impunity

• 🗣️ Bishop Wilfred Anagbe describes Fulani herdsmen and terrorists as stealing, vandalizing, killing, kidnapping, and raping with total impunity.
• 💔 A massacre on June 13th in Yalada resulted in 278 deaths, with perpetrators shouting "Allah Akbar" while slaughtering victims.
• ⛪ Churches are burned, pastors are beheaded, and entire villages are attacked for their faith.
• 👧 25 girls recently went missing, likely vanishing into extremism and sex slavery.

Historical Context and US Response

• 🔍 Past hearings in 2012 and 2013 focused on the slaughter of Christians by Boko Haram.
• 🇺🇸 The US has taken steps, including designating Boko Haram as a foreign terrorist organization, though this could have been done earlier.
• 🚫 There's a perceived culture of denial regarding the severity and religious motivations behind the violence.

Scale of the Crisis

• 📈 Open Doors reports that more Christians are slaughtered in Nigeria than anywhere else in the world.
• 💀 Over 52,000 Christians have been killed by Islamist extremists since 2009, alongside approximately 34,000 moderate Muslims.
• 🏠 19,000 churches have been attacked, and over 7,000 people murdered in the current year alone.
• 🏘️ Around 5 million Christians have been displaced, creating internally displaced persons and refugee camps.

Calls for Action and Accountability

• ⚖️ The Nigerian government has a constitutional obligation to protect its citizens, but perpetrators operate with impunity.
• 🇺🇸 Resolutions have been introduced calling for the Biden administration to address the crisis and condition US foreign assistance on Nigeria's progress.
• 🤝 The US must provide direct humanitarian assistance and impose targeted sanctions against individuals and entities responsible for these abuses.
• 🚨 The situation is described as an existential threat to Christianity in Nigeria, requiring the US not to stand by.