A prominent Nigerian archbishop has expressed deep concern over what he describes as an ongoing and intentional threat to Christianity in the country. His warning comes amid rising cases of violence, abductions, and widespread fear affecting many communities.
Speaking at a press briefing in Madrid hosted by Aid to the Church in Need, Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama openly addressed the difficulties Christians are currently facing across Nigeria.
He stated: “There is an Islamic programme to reduce the influence, growth and development of the Christian faith in Nigeria. A deliberate programme by Islamists to reduce the Christian presence in this country…”
The archbishop also pointed to the increasing influence of Shari’a law in certain regions, noting its impact beyond Muslim communities. He explained: “Shari‘a has also been imposed on many who are not Muslims. Although they say it is only for Muslims, many people in the north have lost their rights, their lives and cannot live in a proper way.
“If this continues, we will be in danger of losing our faith and of not having the necessary strength to sustain our faith and our Church.”
Northern Nigeria continues to experience unrest driven by extremist factions such as Boko Haram and ISWAP, alongside attacks linked to armed groups and a surge in kidnappings for ransom.
Archbishop Kaigama highlighted that both religious leaders and church members are increasingly being targeted to instill fear and disrupt worship activities.
“They are injecting fear into our priests, kidnapping priests again and again and again.
“They are injecting fear into the laity who gather to celebrate Mass by bombing them, shooting them, threatening them … to prevent them from getting together.”
Recent incidents further reflect the severity of the situation. On March 16, coordinated suicide attacks in Maiduguri hit a hospital, a market, and a post office, leaving at least 28 people dead and over 100 injured.
Even Abuja, the nation’s capital, has not been spared. According to the archbishop, priests within his diocese have been abducted, while others have abandoned their parishes due to persistent threats to their lives.
He also spoke about international responses to the crisis, including military actions associated with former U.S. President Donald Trump in late 2025.
While acknowledging that Trump “was the first international leader to announce that the Church of Nigeria was being persecuted”, the archbishop noted that the intervention “has further inflamed the Islamists in that territory”.
He added: “The number of attacks and kidnappings by Boko Haram and the other groups has been growing ever since …
“We thought he was going to come and attack the root of the problem, the root of Boko Haram, that he was going to eradicate all this and that we could live in peace. It has not achieved much – in fact it has achieved the opposite effect.”
Describing the current reality, Archbishop Kaigama said the scale of killings and kidnappings is “incredible”, stressing that his main concern remains “how to heal Nigeria”.
