Nigeria Is One Of The Countries Where Christians Experience Rising Discrimination And Persecution – Pope Leo

Pope Leo XIV has identified Nigeria as one of the countries where Christians continue to face discrimination and persecution. In a post shared on his official X account on Sunday, he emphasized the importance of peace as a divine virtue and called attention to the struggles of believers worldwide.

He noted that Christians in several regions endure targeted attacks, highlighting Bangladesh, Nigeria, Mozambique, Sudan, and other countries where assaults on worship centres and faith communities are frequently reported. The Pope also offered prayers for families in Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, where civilians were recently mass+cred, urging unity and the rejection of violence.

His remarks come amid ongoing documentation of Christian p+rsecution in Nigeria. Last month, Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), a Pontifical foundation, listed Nigeria among 24 countries where religious freedom is “seriously violated.” The report explained that in nations such as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Libya, Maldives, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sudan, and Yemen, persecution often stems from a mix of authoritarian governance and religious extremism.

In response to global concern, former U.S. President Donald Trump has redesignated Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” over repeated reports of religious harassment. The Nigerian government has rejected the designation, insisting that the country remains a secular state.