Over 100 Christians, Including Children, Killed in Benue State Attack as Religious Freedom Crisis Worsens
In the wake of a horrifying attack last weekend that left more than 100 men, women, and children dead at a Catholic mission in Nigeria’s Benue State, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is renewing its urgent call for the U.S. State Department to designate Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC).
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The massacre took place in Yelwata, where internally displaced Christians—many of them farmers—had taken refuge. The violent assault is being described as part of a wider pattern of ongoing and systematic attacks against both Christians and Muslims in Africa’s most populous nation, often with little to no government intervention or accountability.
“The abhorrent violence in Nigeria’s Middle Belt and the systematic, ongoing, and egregious attacks throughout Nigeria against Christians and Muslims are indications that government prevention efforts are failing and not protecting vulnerable religious communities,” said USCIRF Chair Vicky Hartzler in a statement. “U.S. government foreign assistance to Nigeria should efficiently and effectively support efforts to protect religious freedom.”
The Middle Belt region has become a flashpoint for brutal conflict, primarily between Muslim Fulani herdsmen and predominantly Christian farming communities. The recent wave of violence, which includes targeted attacks on houses of worship and kidnappings of religious leaders, has escalated dramatically in the past three months. Religious leaders and human rights advocates inside Nigeria say the attacks are increasingly being ignored, normalized, or even denied by local authorities.
Commissioner Mohamed Elsanousi emphasized the need for immediate and strategic action by U.S. officials. “Further efforts are needed to reduce violence and preserve freedom of religion or belief for all Nigerians,” he said. “The U.S. government should use foreign assistance to address conflict resolution and enhance security sector training so vulnerable religious communities can be better protected.”
Despite USCIRF’s continued recommendations, Nigeria remains absent from the State Department’s official CPC list, sparking ongoing criticism from human rights organizations and Christian advocacy groups around the globe. The CPC designation would compel the U.S. government to apply increased diplomatic pressure and consider targeted sanctions or other accountability measures.
In May 2025, USCIRF held a public hearing to examine the worsening religious freedom conditions in Nigeria. Testimonies detailed mass displacement, destroyed churches, assassinations of clergy, and growing fears among Christians of genocidal violence.
Founded by Congress, USCIRF is an independent, bipartisan agency tasked with monitoring religious freedom violations worldwide and making recommendations to the President, Secretary of State, and Congress. The Commission’s mandate is to deter persecution and advocate for the rights of people of faith.
As the Nigerian people mourn yet another devastating attack, global eyes are turning to Washington to see whether the United States will finally act with the urgency the situation demands.
