We can no longer be silent: Christians are under attack in Nigeria

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By Sunny A. David, Awka

A group of concerned citizens has issued a passionate statement condemning recent comments by the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), which denied the existence of a Christian genocide in the country.

In their open letter, the citizens expressed deep concern over what they described as years of targeted violence against Christian communities across several Nigerian States, including Plateau, Benue, Southern Kaduna, Taraba, Niger, Adamawa, and Borno.

According to the Group, thousands of Christians have been killed in their homes, churches, and farmlands, while entire communities have been destroyed and survivors forced to flee with nothing. “These are not random acts of violence,” the statement read. “They are systematic and motivated by religious hatred.”

The signatories emphasized that they are not political figures but ordinary Nigerians who have lived through the violence and witnessed the devastating impact firsthand. “We have buried loved ones, seen our villages burnt, and carried the wounded to hospitals that lack medicine,” they said. “To deny this suffering is to dishonor the memory of the dead.”

While acknowledging that both Muslims and Christians have suffered from violence in different regions, the citizens insisted that the scale and frequency of attacks on Christian communities are unprecedented.

They cited reports from Amnesty International, Christian Solidarity Worldwide, and Open Doors, which have documented incidents suggesting targeted attacks against Christians in certain areas.

The Group called on the Federal Government to confront the issue honestly and transparently. “Let there be an impartial investigation into these killings,” they urged. “Justice must be served for those who have lost their lives simply because of their faith.”

They further appealed to Nigeria’s security agencies to protect all citizens equally, regardless of religion, and urged both local and international stakeholders to take meaningful steps toward ending the violence.

“We are Nigerians Christians, Muslims, and people of other faiths and we all deserve to live in peace,” the statement concluded. “But peace can never exist where truth is denied. It is time to face reality and stop this tragedy before it claims more lives.”