A United States congressman, Riley Moore, has described Nigeria as the most perilous place in the world for Christians, pointing to persistent attacks, destruction of churches, and the displacement of millions of believers.
Moore made the statement on Thursday while speaking at an event organised by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), which examined global persecution of Christians, with Nigeria taking centre stage.
According to the lawmaker, Christians in Nigeria are being deliberately targeted and killed because of their religious beliefs.
“As many of us are aware, Nigeria is the most dangerous country in the world to be a Christian. It is the most dangerous place to openly profess faith in our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ,” Moore said.
He noted that the level of violence against Christians in the country has been alarming over the years, estimating that between 50,000 and 100,000 Christians have been killed since 2009.
Moore also revealed that tens of thousands of churches have been destroyed, while millions of Christians have been forced to flee their homes due to continuous attacks.
Reflecting on his visit to Nigeria, the congressman said he personally witnessed the scale of the humanitarian crisis affecting Christian communities, especially in Benue State.
He disclosed that about 600,000 Christians in Benue State alone were living in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, adding that he engaged directly with many of them during his visit.
“My experience there was heartbreaking. It was one of the most tragic scenes I have ever witnessed, seeing the conditions under which these people are struggling to survive,” he said.