<!--

                            _                       _     _
                           | |                     | |   (_)
      _ __   _____      __ | |_ __ _ _ __ __ _  ___| |_   _ _ __   ___
     | '_ \ / _ \ \ /\ / / | __/ _` | '__/ _` |/ _ \ __| | | '_ \ / __|
     | | | |  __/\ V  V /  | || (_| | | | (_| |  __/ |_  | | | | | (__ _
     |_| |_|\___| \_/\_/    \__\__,_|_|  \__, |\___|\__| |_|_| |_|\___(_)
                                          __/ |
                                         |___/

     We create digital marketing strategies and design compelling websites.
                            www.newtarget.com

-->
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html  lang="en" dir="ltr" prefix="og: https://ogp.me/ns#">
  <head>
    <title>USCIRF Alarmed by Rising Violence Against Religious Groups in Nigeria | USCIRF</title>

    <meta name="generator" content="new target, inc. (www.newtarget.com)" />
    <meta name="generator" content="web design & development by new target, inc." />

    <link rel="manifest" href="manifest.webmanifest" crossorigin="use-credentials">
    <link rel="shortcut icon" href="/themes/custom/uscirf2020/assets/icons/favicon.ico">
    <link rel="apple-touch-icon" type="image/png" sizes="57x57" href="/themes/custom/uscirf2020/assets/icons/apple-icon-57x57.png">
    <link rel="apple-touch-icon" type="image/png" sizes="60x60" href="/themes/custom/uscirf2020/assets/icons/apple-icon-60x60.png">
    <link rel="apple-touch-icon" type="image/png" sizes="72x72" href="/themes/custom/uscirf2020/assets/icons/apple-icon-72x72.png">
    <link rel="apple-touch-icon" type="image/png" sizes="76x76" href="/themes/custom/uscirf2020/assets/icons/apple-icon-76x76.png">
    <link rel="apple-touch-icon" type="image/png" sizes="114x114" href="/themes/custom/uscirf2020/assets/icons/apple-icon-114x114.png">
    <link rel="apple-touch-icon" type="image/png" type="image/png" sizes="120x120" href="/themes/custom/uscirf2020/assets/icons/apple-icon-120x120.png">
    <link rel="apple-touch-icon" type="image/png" sizes="144x144" href="/themes/custom/uscirf2020/assets/icons/apple-icon-144x144.png">
    <link rel="apple-touch-icon" type="image/png" sizes="152x152" href="/themes/custom/uscirf2020/assets/icons/apple-icon-152x152.png">
    <link rel="apple-touch-icon" type="image/png" sizes="180x180" href="/themes/custom/uscirf2020/assets/icons/apple-icon-180x180.png">
    <link rel="icon" type="image/png" sizes="36x36" href="/themes/custom/uscirf2020/assets/icons/android-icon-36x36.png">
    <link rel="icon" type="image/png" sizes="48x48" href="/themes/custom/uscirf2020/assets/icons/android-icon-48x48.png">
    <link rel="icon" type="image/png" sizes="72x72" href="/themes/custom/uscirf2020/assets/icons/android-icon-72x72.png">
    <link rel="icon" type="image/png" sizes="96x96" href="/themes/custom/uscirf2020/assets/icons/android-icon-96x96.png">
    <link rel="icon" type="image/png" sizes="144x144" href="/themes/custom/uscirf2020/assets/icons/android-icon-144x144.png">
    <link rel="icon" type="image/png" sizes="192x192" href="/themes/custom/uscirf2020/assets/icons/android-icon-192x192.png">
    <link rel="icon" type="image/png" sizes="16x16" href="/themes/custom/uscirf2020/assets/icons/favicon-16x16.png">
    <link rel="icon" type="image/png" sizes="32x32" href="/themes/custom/uscirf2020/assets/icons/favicon-32x32.png">
    <link rel="icon" type="image/png" sizes="96x96" href="/themes/custom/uscirf2020/assets/icons/favicon-96x96.png">
    <link rel="manifest" href="/themes/custom/uscirf2020/assets/icons/manifest.json">
    <meta name="msapplication-TileColor" content="#ffffff">
    <meta name="msapplication-TileImage" content="/themes/custom/uscirf2020/assets/icons/ms-icon-144x144.png">
    <meta name="theme-color" content="#ffffff">

    <meta charset="utf-8" />
<script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=UA-7936802-1"></script>
<script>window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments)};gtag("js", new Date());gtag("config", "UA-7936802-1", {"groups":"default","anonymize_ip":true});</script>
<meta name="geo.placename" content="Washington, D.C." />
<meta name="geo.position" content="38.8951100; -77.0363700;" />
<meta name="geo.region" content="US-DC" />
<meta name="icbm" content="38.8951100; -77.0363700;" />
<link rel="canonical" href="https://www.uscirf.gov/news-room/releases-statements/uscirf-alarmed-rising-violence-against-religious-groups-nigeria" />
<meta http-equiv="content-language" content="en" />
<link rel="image_src" href="https://www.uscirf.gov/sites/default/files/2023-12/jpeg%20small_0_1.jpg" />
<meta property="og:site_name" content="USCIRF" />
<meta property="og:type" content="News" />
<meta property="og:url" content="https://www.uscirf.gov/news-room/releases-statements/uscirf-alarmed-rising-violence-against-religious-groups-nigeria" />
<meta property="og:title" content="USCIRF Alarmed by Rising Violence Against Religious Groups in Nigeria" />
<meta property="og:image" content="https://www.uscirf.gov/sites/default/files/2023-12/jpeg%20small_0_1.jpg" />
<meta property="og:image:url" content="https://www.uscirf.gov/sites/default/files/2023-12/jpeg%20small_0_1.jpg" />
<meta property="og:image:type" content="image/jpeg" />
<meta property="place:location:latitude" content="38.8951100" />
<meta property="place:location:longitude" content="-77.0363700" />
<meta property="og:street_address" content="732 North Capitol St NW A714" />
<meta property="og:locality" content="Washington D.C." />
<meta property="og:region" content="Washington D.C." />
<meta property="og:postal_code" content="20401" />
<meta property="og:country_name" content="Washington D.C." />
<meta property="og:email" content="media@uscirf.gov" />
<meta property="og:phone_number" content="(202) 523-3240" />
<meta property="og:fax_number" content="(202) 523-5020" />
<meta property="og:locale" content="en_US" />
<meta property="article:author" content="https://www.uscirf.gov/user/251" />
<meta property="article:section" content="News" />
<meta property="article:published_time" content="2024-04-1106:18:12" />
<meta name="twitter:card" content="summary" />
<meta name="twitter:title" content="USCIRF Alarmed by Rising Violence Against Religious Groups in Nigeria" />
<meta name="twitter:url" content="https://www.uscirf.gov/news-room/releases-statements/uscirf-alarmed-rising-violence-against-religious-groups-nigeria" />
<meta name="twitter:image:height" content="900" />
<meta name="twitter:image:width" content="900" />
<meta name="twitter:image" content="https://www.uscirf.gov/sites/default/files/2023-12/jpeg%20small_0_1.jpg" />
<meta name="Generator" content="Drupal 9 (https://www.drupal.org)" />
<meta name="MobileOptimized" content="width" />
<meta name="HandheldFriendly" content="true" />
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1, shrink-to-fit=no" />
<meta http-equiv="x-ua-compatible" content="ie=edge" />
<link rel="icon" href="/sites/default/files/USCIRF_0.png" type="image/png" />
<script src="/sites/default/files/google_tag/google_tag_4/google_tag.data_layer.js?sbqv3g" defer></script>
<script src="/sites/default/files/google_tag/google_tag_4/google_tag.script.js?sbqv3g" defer></script>


      <link rel="stylesheet" as="style" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Fjalla+One&family=Noto+Sans:ital,wght@0,400;0,700;1,400;1,700&display=swap" />
      <link rel="stylesheet" as="style" href="https://p.typekit.net/p.css?s=1&k=arw1cqj&ht=tk&f=6768.6769.6770.6771&a=13072354&app=typekit&e=css" />
      <link rel="stylesheet" as="style" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Fjalla+One&display=swap" />
      <link rel="preload" as="image" href="/themes/custom/uscirf2020/assets/images/defaultHero.png" />

      <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="/sites/default/files/css/css_6e6_b4-roceQ_gBPDF4tPrZEaqIHqSyJjqHO2soN1Xs.css" />
<link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="/sites/default/files/css/css_RfGEiTVTG3T12VjwX99Xyal2UB2yOZNQbs_QrfOhis4.css" />
<link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="//stackpath.bootstrapcdn.com/bootstrap/4.1.1/css/bootstrap.min.css" />
<link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="/sites/default/files/css/css_qkJ7A_BAv_RjiD5cFHxOKIeK2dtRZDQFdnR1arUPieE.css" />
<link rel="stylesheet" media="print" href="/sites/default/files/css/css_Y4H_4BqmgyCtG7E7YdseTs2qvy9C34c51kBamDdgark.css" />




  </head>
  <body class="layout-no-sidebars page-node-9026 path-node page-node-type-news">

    <script>0</script>

    <a href="#main-content" class="visually-hidden focusable skip-link">
      Skip to main content
    </a>
    <noscript><iframe src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-TQJ96S2" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript>
      <div class="dialog-off-canvas-main-canvas" data-off-canvas-main-canvas>
          <div class="main-search-wrapper">
      <a href="#" class="close-search"><i class="fa fa-times"></i></a>
        <div class="block-layout-region">
    <div class="views-exposed-form block block-views block-views-exposed-filter-blocksearch-results-page-1" data-drupal-selector="views-exposed-form-search-results-page-1" id="block-exposedformsearch-resultspage-1">
  
    
      <div class="content">
      
<form action="/search-results" method="get" id="views-exposed-form-search-results-page-1" accept-charset="UTF-8">
  <div class="form-row">
  



  <fieldset class="js-form-item js-form-type-textfield form-type-textfield js-form-item-search form-item-search form-group">
          <label for="edit-search">Search</label>
                    <input data-drupal-selector="edit-search" type="text" id="edit-search" name="search" value="" size="30" maxlength="128" class="form-text form-control" />

                      </fieldset>




  <fieldset class="js-form-item js-form-type-select form-type-select js-form-item-sort-by form-item-sort-by form-group">
          <label for="edit-sort-by">Sort by</label>
                    
<select data-drupal-selector="edit-sort-by" id="edit-sort-by" name="sort_by" class="form-select custom-select"><option value="search_api_relevance" selected="selected">Relevance</option></select>
                      </fieldset>




  <fieldset class="js-form-item js-form-type-select form-type-select js-form-item-sort-order form-item-sort-order form-group">
          <label for="edit-sort-order">Order</label>
                    
<select data-drupal-selector="edit-sort-order" id="edit-sort-order" name="sort_order" class="form-select custom-select"><option value="ASC" selected="selected">Asc</option><option value="DESC">Desc</option></select>
                      </fieldset>
<div data-drupal-selector="edit-actions" class="form-actions js-form-wrapper form-group" id="edit-actions"><button data-drupal-selector="edit-submit-search-results" type="submit" id="edit-submit-search-results" value="Search" class="button js-form-submit form-submit btn btn-primary">Search</button>
</div>

</div>

</form>

    </div>
  </div>

  </div>

    </div>
  
<header
	id="header" class="header" role="banner" aria-label="Site header">

							<div class="pre-header">
				<div class="container">
					  <div class="block-layout-region">
    <nav role="navigation" aria-labelledby="block-useraccountmenu-menu" id="block-useraccountmenu" class="col-md-12 block block-menu navigation menu--account">
            
  <h2 class="sr-only" id="block-useraccountmenu-menu">User account menu</h2>
  

        
              <div block="block-useraccountmenu" class="clearfix nav">
                      <a href="/annual-reports" class="annual-reports nav-link annual-reports annual-reports nav-link--annual-reports" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/5580">Annual Reports</a>
                      <a href="/user/login" class="policy-recommendations pre-login-btn policy-recommendations pre-login-btn nav-link  policy-recommendations pre-login-btn policy-recommendations pre-login-btn nav-link--user-login" data-drupal-link-system-path="user/login">Login</a>
                      <a href="/about-uscirf/contact-us" class="contact-us nav-link contact-us contact-us nav-link--about-uscirf-contact-us" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/739">Contact Us</a>
                      <a href="" class="search nav-link search search search search search nav-link-" target="_self">Search</a>
                      <a href="https://www.facebook.com/USCIRF/" target="_blank" class="facebook nav-link facebook facebook facebook nav-link-https--wwwfacebookcom-uscirf-">Facebook</a>
                      <a href="https://twitter.com/USCIRF" target="_blank" class="twitter nav-link twitter twitter twitter nav-link-https--twittercom-uscirf">Twitter</a>
                      <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/USCIRF09" target="_blank" class="youtube nav-link youtube youtube youtube nav-link-https--wwwyoutubecom-user-uscirf09">YouTube</a>
                      <a href="https://www.instagram.com/uscirf/" target="_blank" class="instagram nav-link nav-link-https--wwwinstagramcom-uscirf-">Instagram</a>
            </div>
      


  </nav>

  </div>

				</div>
			</div>
			
							<div class="main-header">
				<div class="container">
					<div class="menu">
						  	<a href="/" title="Home" rel="home" class="navbar-brand">
					<img src="/themes/custom/uscirf2020/assets/images/logo.png" alt="Home" class="img-fluid d-inline-block align-top"/>
				
	</a>
<div id="block-mainnavigation" class="block block-we-megamenu block-we-megamenu-blockmain">
  
    
      <div class="content">
      <div class="region-we-mega-menu">
	<a class="navbar-toggle collapsed">
		<span class="icon-bar"></span>
		<span class="icon-bar"></span>
		<span class="icon-bar"></span>
	</a>
	<nav  class="main navbar navbar-default navbar-we-mega-menu mobile-collapse hover-action" data-menu-name="main" data-block-theme="uscirf2020" data-style="Default" data-animation="None" data-delay="" data-duration="" data-autoarrow="" data-alwayshowsubmenu="" data-action="hover" data-mobile-collapse="0">
		<div class="container-fluid">
			<ul  class="we-mega-menu-ul nav nav-tabs">
  <li  class="we-mega-menu-li dropdown-menu left" data-level="0" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="0f2a05e3-990a-4bb5-9982-3762a14ad643" data-submenu="1" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="left" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/about-uscirf/about-us" target="">
      About Uscirf    </a>
    <div  class="we-mega-menu-submenu about-uscirf-submenu" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-submenu" data-submenu-width="" data-class="about-uscirf-submenu" style="width: px">
  <div class="we-mega-menu-submenu-inner">
    <div  class="we-mega-menu-row" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-row" data-custom-row="0">
  <div  class="we-mega-menu-col span12" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-col" data-width="12" data-block="" data-blocktitle="0" data-hidewhencollapse="" data-class="">
  <ul class="nav nav-tabs subul">
  <li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="d5e82cdf-2116-4eb3-a62c-1695f5b57aa2" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/about-uscirf/frequently-asked-questions" target="">
      Frequently Asked Questions    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="c5c1f4b3-15ab-492a-bab5-32b600852340" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/commissioners" target="">
      Commissioners    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="8f22af24-0b6e-4749-b76f-3a4bb2c2a881" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="_self">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="https://www.uscirf.gov/about-uscirf/former-commissioners" target="_self">
      Former Commissioners    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="d539be25-b8bb-414d-8642-b224f324f064" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/about-uscirf/staff" target="">
      Staff    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="aced1b8b-9dde-4154-bbef-890605118ab7" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/about-uscirf/authorizing-legislation-amendments" target="">
      Authorizing Legislation    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="4f752644-1936-4092-a62e-02d4c6f4b084" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/about-uscirf/employment-opportunities" target="">
      Employment Opportunities    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="e9e29f38-9bbb-48b5-8062-e0941c5871f8" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/about-uscirf/contract-opportunities" target="">
      Contract Opportunities    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="681b7cc3-3814-44d5-bcc4-b20b0227a94e" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/resources/other-resources" target="">
      Other Resources    </a>
    
</li>
</ul>
</div>

</div>

  </div>
</div>
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li dropdown-menu" data-level="0" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="b5a747ba-a10f-499d-a8f7-3f07cf4b9fb7" data-submenu="1" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/countries" target="">
      Countries    </a>
    <div  class="we-mega-menu-submenu countries-submenu" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-submenu" data-submenu-width="" data-class="countries-submenu" style="width: px">
  <div class="we-mega-menu-submenu-inner">
    <div  class="we-mega-menu-row" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-row" data-custom-row="0">
  <div  class="we-mega-menu-col span12" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-col" data-width="12" data-block="" data-blocktitle="0" data-hidewhencollapse="" data-class="">
  <ul class="nav nav-tabs subul">
  <li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="a17cc02b-38db-4d77-a9bb-c70d9a762efa" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/countries/2023-recommendations" target="">
      2023 Recommendations    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="79380619-0c6e-4884-aa9a-7d3636dc6270" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/countries/afghanistan" target="">
      Afghanistan    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="92e9dc0d-63f7-4242-9153-e4fcb088283f" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/countries/algeria" target="">
      Algeria    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="2bcde6ab-c5b0-4674-8fde-0c65c3669ffc" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/countries/azerbaijan" target="">
      Azerbaijan    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="28d6a1f2-65a9-4d02-8c44-c2cb4e17f264" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/countries/burma" target="">
      Burma    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="0f3f0139-1767-4dc6-80bf-b96a42b78150" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/countries/central-african-republic" target="">
      Central African Republic    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="39faa6f5-02e6-4b56-b91a-52d252d73fa7" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/countries/china" target="">
      China    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="a591e552-18f4-41b8-bbba-c3c597c2b82a" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/countries/cuba" target="">
      Cuba    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="20582cde-7f41-41c9-9338-5acbefeb2b71" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/countries/egypt" target="">
      Egypt    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="e50130a8-1992-472c-8c7e-74e0234eccc5" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/countries/eritrea" target="">
      Eritrea    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="52737394-a6cd-4cb8-8b9c-1a5b510e6440" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/countries/india" target="">
      India    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="e6cbf8f7-6c55-4dec-8731-71e1c40d423d" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/countries/indonesia" target="">
      Indonesia    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="c59d236f-7fec-4ed6-bcca-832ea3cb2405" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/countries/iran" target="">
      Iran    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="766dca74-5894-4416-b87c-89adf6d6eddb" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/countries/iraq" target="">
      Iraq    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="24071e9c-ec0b-41aa-8105-0727233450f0" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/countries/kazakhstan" target="">
      Kazakhstan    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="12e7b03b-256a-4b7e-b801-f4b1598f6888" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/countries/malaysia" target="">
      Malaysia    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="d8a67868-9231-47ad-b42d-d976ec8083ad" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/countries/nicaragua" target="">
      Nicaragua    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="d218909d-0971-4745-8c76-175dea18f344" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/countries/nigeria" target="">
      Nigeria    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="c5dc8fd1-b50f-4e31-9331-56295ae2c8c4" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/countries/north-korea" target="">
      North Korea    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="5f401b99-a440-4018-84be-338dce3897d3" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/countries/pakistan" target="">
      Pakistan    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="0c966aac-0d6f-45cc-9138-33d3c447ee1b" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/countries/russia" target="">
      Russia    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="f1787024-52cd-4304-876f-a3f3a3c4b756" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/countries/saudi-arabia" target="">
      Saudi Arabia    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="fb9ab8b1-67b0-44d3-bc99-aff05287c488" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="https://www.uscirf.gov/node/8718" target="">
      Sri Lanka    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="18bb5d4f-8aba-4d46-9ff9-0ffdba1fc008" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/countries/syria" target="">
      Syria    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="6da8f2ef-8a25-4f9c-8965-ea98ed974864" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/countries/tajikistan" target="">
      Tajikistan    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="2651f84a-48bd-439f-bc67-056eefb6ced6" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/countries/turkey" target="">
      Turkey    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="f9837493-22d6-40ca-ba0f-e176023ee254" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/countries/turkmenistan" target="">
      Turkmenistan    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="5f0bb1a3-cec9-4726-b064-fa9712bbe2a4" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/countries/uzbekistan" target="">
      Uzbekistan    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="105050e2-6c05-4aea-bf19-bcc460c700f5" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/countries/vietnam" target="">
      Vietnam    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li dropdown-menu" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="a8895a9a-0e84-4ed6-b6bc-5fb7bf9ed16a" data-submenu="1" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/countries/others" target="">
      Others    </a>
    <div  class="we-mega-menu-submenu" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-submenu" data-submenu-width="" data-class="" style="width: px">
  <div class="we-mega-menu-submenu-inner">
    <div  class="we-mega-menu-row" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-row" data-custom-row="0">
  <div  class="we-mega-menu-col span12" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-col" data-width="12" data-block="" data-blocktitle="0" data-hidewhencollapse="" data-class="">
  <ul class="nav nav-tabs subul">
  <li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="7bd57fc8-ea27-4e89-9425-d5ed5eb2745a" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/countries/bahrain" target="">
      Bahrain    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="8573b460-195b-4c08-bbfb-3efc2badd819" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/countries/laos" target="">
      Laos    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="1f203aaf-21b2-46de-814f-9a7ecb708380" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/countries/sudan" target="">
      Sudan    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="2" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="3e838d5f-e296-45f9-a980-c8717ca02973" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="https://www.uscirf.gov/countries/others" target="">
      Others    </a>
    
</li>
</ul>
</div>

</div>

  </div>
</div>
</li>
</ul>
</div>

</div>

  </div>
</div>
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li dropdown-menu" data-level="0" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="c2addf6d-b455-4133-a3ba-f565e2002933" data-submenu="1" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/news-room" target="">
      News Room    </a>
    <div  class="we-mega-menu-submenu newsroom-submenu" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-submenu" data-submenu-width="" data-class="newsroom-submenu" style="width: px">
  <div class="we-mega-menu-submenu-inner">
    <div  class="we-mega-menu-row" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-row" data-custom-row="0">
  <div  class="we-mega-menu-col span12" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-col" data-width="12" data-block="" data-blocktitle="0" data-hidewhencollapse="" data-class="">
  <ul class="nav nav-tabs subul">
  <li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="be019fa1-b2f4-4534-b20e-6ff7fc9a14b1" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/news-room/press-releases-statements" target="">
      Press Releases & Statements    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="c571d558-6e93-4e90-837b-e5e92489441e" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/news-room/op-eds" target="">
      Op-Eds    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="9d5285bc-f7e9-4b86-8fef-6fc87a7ffb5e" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/news-room/uscirf-spotlight" target="">
      USCIRF Spotlight Podcast    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="1eefad2c-c2a7-4e56-825d-8c41122a3eed" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/news-room/media-inquiries/media-inquiries" target="">
      Media Inquiries    </a>
    
</li>
</ul>
</div>

</div>

  </div>
</div>
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li dropdown-menu" data-level="0" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="c7f750bc-430d-40d8-8c45-7e155a21c42c" data-submenu="1" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/events" target="">
      Events    </a>
    <div  class="we-mega-menu-submenu events-submenu" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-submenu" data-submenu-width="" data-class="events-submenu" style="width: px">
  <div class="we-mega-menu-submenu-inner">
    <div  class="we-mega-menu-row" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-row" data-custom-row="0">
  <div  class="we-mega-menu-col span12" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-col" data-width="12" data-block="" data-blocktitle="0" data-hidewhencollapse="" data-class="">
  <ul class="nav nav-tabs subul">
  <li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="0d6ad4aa-4590-43a4-98a3-5add35094223" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/event-type/hearings-and-briefings" target="">
      USCIRF Hearings    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="7ee423c8-9f5d-4cf8-af92-0e4105a1438a" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/event-type/webinars" target="">
      Other USCIRF Events    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="4dab3703-a8f6-48ce-b0d4-52096f9f387e" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="_self">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/event-type/congressional-hearings" target="_self">
      Congressional Hearings    </a>
    
</li>
</ul>
</div>

</div>

  </div>
</div>
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li dropdown-menu" data-level="0" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="3b825d51-3deb-497d-90ab-9026a8d66440" data-submenu="1" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/victims-list" target="">
      FoRB Victims List    </a>
    <div  class="we-mega-menu-submenu prisoners-submenu" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-submenu" data-submenu-width="" data-class="prisoners-submenu" style="width: px">
  <div class="we-mega-menu-submenu-inner">
    <div  class="we-mega-menu-row" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-row" data-custom-row="0">
  <div  class="we-mega-menu-col span12" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-col" data-width="12" data-block="" data-blocktitle="0" data-hidewhencollapse="" data-class="">
  <ul class="nav nav-tabs subul">
  <li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="35fc887e-8d3e-4647-ba12-4a1fd91f7d67" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="_self">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/victims-list" target="_self">
      Frank R. Wolf Freedom of Religion or Belief Victims List    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="ee46358a-b8d3-4dad-ba4d-71817c3e44e3" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="https://www.uscirf.gov/forb-victims-list-country-profiles" target="">
      Country Profiles    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="1" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="2da35d98-538c-48bd-94d9-8d278da067e6" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="_self">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/religious-prisoners-conscience/defending-freedoms-project" target="_self">
      Defending Freedoms Project    </a>
    
</li>
</ul>
</div>

</div>

  </div>
</div>
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li" data-level="0" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="c6e9e334-12be-4ffa-a147-219011ced0c0" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/publications" target="">
      Publications    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li annual-reports-main-menu" data-level="0" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="b97b75f2-91c9-406b-ac35-3fb515a5fa2d" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="annual-reports-main-menu" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a href='#' data-drupal-link-system-path="<front>" class="we-megamenu-nolink">
      Annual Reports</a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li contact-us-main-menu" data-level="0" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="08a91ce4-1749-4802-9d63-fec08866060f" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="contact-us-main-menu" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/about-uscirf/contact-us" target="">
      Contact Us    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li facebook-main-menu" data-level="0" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="7f0cde2b-9793-4526-be20-c4b63bc334e3" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="facebook-main-menu" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="https://www.facebook.com/USCIRF/" target="">
      Facebook    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li twitter-main-menu" data-level="0" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="c826de4e-4ce3-4061-ac0a-4302162426ba" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="twitter-main-menu" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="https://twitter.com/USCIRF" target="">
      Twitter    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li youtube-main-menu" data-level="0" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="1e402595-a453-40dd-9943-b009989f8fc4" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="youtube-main-menu" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/USCIRF09" target="">
      YouTube    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li instagram-main-menu" data-level="0" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="74383991-57d2-4ad2-a520-5ec88f2b7081" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="instagram-main-menu" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="https://www.instagram.com/uscirf/" target="">
      Instagram    </a>
    
</li><li  class="we-mega-menu-li search-main-menu active active-trail" data-level="0" data-element-type="we-mega-menu-li" description="" data-id="439a67c9-737f-4e67-b88e-5365dd63ed46" data-submenu="0" hide-sub-when-collapse="" data-group="0" data-class="search-main-menu" data-icon="" data-caption="" data-alignsub="" data-target="">
      <a class="we-mega-menu-li" title="" href="/" target="">
      Search    </a>
    
</li>
</ul>
		</div>
	</nav>
</div>

    </div>
  </div>


					</div>

				</div>
			</div>
			</header>

<div id="main-wrapper">

			<div class="hero">
			  <div class="block-layout-region">
    <div id="block-herointernalpageblock" class="block block-custom-blocks block-hero-internal-block">
  
    
      <div class="content">
      	
	
	
	
  
	<div class="internal_hero_wrapper custom-hero internal-hero-js-adjust">
		<div class="internal_hero" style='background-image: linear-gradient(to right, rgba(0, 0, 0, 1) 3%, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0), rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) ), url("/themes/custom/uscirf2020/assets/images/defaultHero.png"); background-position-x: center; background-position-y: center'>


			<div class="wrapper">
				<div class="container">
					<div class="content">
						<h1 class="internal-hero-title">USCIRF Alarmed by Rising Violence Against Religious Groups in Nigeria </h1>
						
            <div class="custom-breadcrumb hidden"></div>
					</div>
				</div>
			</div>
		</div>
	</div>

<div id="insertNavHere"></div>

    </div>
  </div>

  </div>

		</div>
	
      
  
			<div id="main" class="container">
              <a id="main-content"></a>
          <div data-drupal-messages-fallback class="hidden"></div><div id="block-uscirf2020-content" class="block block-system block-system-main-block">
  
    
      <div class="content">
      

	

<div class="news-page">


	

	<div class="news-info-wrapper">



					<p class="news-date">Dec 14, 2023</p>
			</div>


	

	<div class="news-paragraph-wrapper">
					


<div class="full-content">
	<p align="center" style="text-align:center"><strong>USCIRF Alarmed by Rising Violence Against Religious Groups in Nigeria</strong><br />
<em>Urges State Department to Make CPC Designation</em></p>

<p>Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) condemns the recent uptick of recurring Islamist insurgent attacks across Nigeria targeting communities based on religion. USCIRF reiterates the need for the U.S. Department of State to designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for engaging in or tolerating systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of freedom of religion or belief.</p>

<p>“<em>USCIRF is alarmed by the amount of violence and attacks taking place throughout Nigeria in the north and south in recent months. This momentum is not stopping, and we cannot stand by and watch more Nigerians being targeted on the basis of their faith, especially as we near the holiday season where we have seen this escalation in the past</em>,” said USCIRF Vice Chair Frederick A. Davie. “<em>USCIRF reiterates its call for the State Department to designate Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern, which is merited based on its own reporting on religious freedom conditions in the country</em>.”</p>

<p>In the past month, Islamic insurgent-directed Fulani gangs killed at least 10 Christians in Taraba State, while a dozen similar gunmen kidnapped over 150 people in Zamfara State, and Boko Haram killed 15 rice farmers in Borno State. These incidents serve to further escalate tensions in a country where violence divides and erodes trust, threatening Nigerians’ freedom of religion or belief. Historically, violence in Nigeria has fallen along ethnoreligious lines. Violence by Boko Haram, Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'adati wal-Jihad (JAS), and the Islamic State West Africa (ISWAP) also threaten the freedom of religion or belief of Nigerians. Despite statements calling for interfaith unity, the Nigerian government has generally failed to enact meaningful policy reforms and changes to address the drivers of violence impacting religious freedom.</p>

<p>“<em>The United States must hold the Nigerian government accountable for failing to protect the religious communities within Nigeria</em>,” said USCIRF Commissioner Frank R. Wolf. “<em>In addition to designating Nigeria as a CPC, the State Department should appoint a Special Envoy for Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin region. The U.S. Congress must also request that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigate the effectiveness of U.S. assistance to Nigeria in achieving religious freedom objectives in the country</em>.”</p>

<p>In June 2023, USCIRF produced an analysis on <a name="x__Hlk152144884"></a>ethnonationalism and religious freedom in Nigeria. Last month, the Commission held a virtual event and published a report on religious freedom concerns in the Sahel Region of Africa, including Nigeria.</p>

<p class="text-align-center">###</p>

<p class="text-align-center"><em>The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze, and report on religious freedom abroad. USCIRF makes foreign policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion and belief. To interview a Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#68050d0c0109281d1b0b011a0e460f071e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a7cac2c3cec6e7d2d4c4ced5c189c0c8d1">[email protected]</span></a>.</em></p>

</div>

			</div>
</div>

    </div>
  </div>
<div id="block-taxonomytermview" class="block block-custom-blocks block-taxonomy-term-view">
  
    
      <div class="content">
      
    </div>
  </div>


      		</div>
	</div>


<footer class="footer">
			<div class="container footer-content">
			<div class="footer-info">
				  <div class="block-layout-region">
    <div id="block-footerinformationblock" class="col-md-8 block block-custom-blocks block-footer-information-block">
  
    
      <div class="content">
      <div class="footer-information">
	<div class="footer-logo">
		<a href="/"><img src="/themes/custom/uscirf2020/assets/images/logo.png" alt=""></a>
	</div>
	<div class="footer-info-content">
		<p>United States Commission on International Religious Freedom</p>
		<p>732 N. Capitol Street, N.W., Suite A714 Washington, D.C. 20401</p>
		<p>
      			<a href="tel:(202) 523-3240">Phone:
				(202) 523-3240</a>
            		</p>
		<p>
      			<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b0ddd5d4d9d1f0c5c3d3d9c2d69ed7dfc6">Email:
				<span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="5c313938353d1c292f3f352e3a723b332a">[email protected]</span></a>
      		</p>
	</div>
</div>

    </div>
  </div>
<nav role="navigation" aria-labelledby="block-footer-menu" id="block-footer" class="col-md-4 footer-menu block block-menu navigation menu--footer">
            
  <h2 class="sr-only" id="block-footer-menu">Footer</h2>
  

        
              <ul block="block-footer" class="clearfix nav navbar-nav">
                    <li class="nav-item">
                <a href="/about-uscirf/contact-us" class="nav-link nav-link--about-uscirf-contact-us" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/739">Contact Us</a>
              </li>
                <li class="nav-item">
                <a href="/about-uscirf/privacy-and-copyright-policy" class="nav-link nav-link--about-uscirf-privacy-and-copyright-policy" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/691">Privacy Policy</a>
              </li>
                <li class="nav-item">
                <a href="/sitemap" class="nav-link nav-link--sitemap" data-drupal-link-system-path="sitemap">Sitemap</a>
              </li>
        </ul>
  


  </nav>

  </div>

			</div>
		</div>
	</footer>

  </div>

    

    <script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script><script src="https://use.fontawesome.com/releases/v5.7.2/js/all.js" defer crossorigin="anonymous"></script>
<script src="https://use.fontawesome.com/releases/v5.7.2/js/v4-shims.js" defer crossorigin="anonymous"></script>


    <script type="application/json" data-drupal-selector="drupal-settings-json">{"path":{"baseUrl":"\/","scriptPath":null,"pathPrefix":"","currentPath":"node\/9026","currentPathIsAdmin":false,"isFront":false,"currentLanguage":"en"},"pluralDelimiter":"\u0003","suppressDeprecationErrors":true,"back_to_top":{"back_to_top_button_trigger":100,"back_to_top_prevent_on_mobile":true,"back_to_top_prevent_in_admin":false,"back_to_top_button_type":"image","back_to_top_button_text":"Back to top"},"ds":{"show_viewport_info":0},"google_analytics":{"account":"UA-7936802-1","trackOutbound":true,"trackMailto":true,"trackDownload":true,"trackDownloadExtensions":"7z|aac|arc|arj|asf|asx|avi|bin|csv|doc(x|m)?|dot(x|m)?|exe|flv|gif|gz|gzip|hqx|jar|jpe?g|js|mp(2|3|4|e?g)|mov(ie)?|msi|msp|pdf|phps|png|ppt(x|m)?|pot(x|m)?|pps(x|m)?|ppam|sld(x|m)?|thmx|qtm?|ra(m|r)?|sea|sit|tar|tgz|torrent|txt|wav|wma|wmv|wpd|xls(x|m|b)?|xlt(x|m)|xlam|xml|z|zip"},"data":{"extlink":{"extTarget":true,"extTargetNoOverride":false,"extNofollow":false,"extNoreferrer":false,"extFollowNoOverride":false,"extClass":"0","extLabel":"(link is external)","extImgClass":false,"extSubdomains":false,"extExclude":"","extInclude":"(\\.pdf)","extCssExclude":"","extCssExplicit":"","extAlert":false,"extAlertText":"","mailtoClass":"0","mailtoLabel":"(link sends email)","extUseFontAwesome":false,"extIconPlacement":"append","extFaLinkClasses":"fa fa-external-link","extFaMailtoClasses":"fa fa-envelope-o","whitelistedDomains":[]}},"ajaxTrustedUrl":{"\/search-results":true},"user":{"uid":0,"permissionsHash":"ed45d0af53e3fb9966d95a498282d5fc360d39ce17854b99037dbedf867a83e3"}}</script>
<script src="/sites/default/files/js/js_x_AilKq9byhKbW-zyZEdB9byT6NT8dPQLMJprqstS28.js"></script>
<script src="//cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/popper.js/1.14.3/umd/popper.min.js"></script>
<script src="//stackpath.bootstrapcdn.com/bootstrap/4.1.1/js/bootstrap.min.js"></script>
<script src="/sites/default/files/js/js_VBy4RcLoNXIGhOFaX34v6DnDqyNCQM6sRFV-7ClSjJY.js"></script>


      <!-- Go to www.addthis.com/dashboard to customize your tools -->
      <script type="text/javascript" src="//s7.addthis.com/js/300/addthis_widget.js#pubid=ra-5f16f2b23ddb5c04"></script>
  </body>
</html>