Thousands of Christians have been murdered, displaced, and terrorized — we call on the U.S. government to investigate and take immediate action.

For years, communities across Nigeria — particularly in the Middle Belt and northern states — have been assaulted in brutal attacks that overwhelmingly target Christian villages, worshippers, and families. Reports document thousands murdered, churches burned, and millions forced from their homes. The Nigerian government’s failure to stop the violence and hold perpetrators accountable has enabled impunity and allowed these attacks to escalate. We therefore call on the United States government to treat this as the catastrophe it is an urgent, state-level priority requiring investigation and immediate action.

We demand the U.S. government to:

1) Impose targeted sanctions on Nigerian officials credibly implicated in facilitating or failing to prevent attacks. 

2) Increase humanitarian aid and protection for displaced communities and expedite refugee/resettlement options for the most vulnerable. 
Human Rights Watch

3) Condition U.S. security and development assistance on concrete, verifiable steps by the Nigerian government to protect civilians and prosecute perpetrators. 
U.S. Department of State

Key facts:

Independent reports estimate thousands of Christian deaths over the past decade; some NGO reports and church groups allege tens of thousands killed since 2010.

1) Violence has created millions of internally displaced people (IDPs) across Nigeria. 

2) Human rights groups and parliamentary briefs warn that government inaction fosters impunity and enables further attacks. 

Nigerians in the United States have made extraordinary contributions to the nation’s success, growth, and diversity. Nigerian-Americans are among the most educated immigrant groups in the country, significantly strengthening America’s workforce in medicine, nursing, engineering, technology, entrepreneurship, academia, and the arts. They serve as physicians, researchers, frontline healthcare workers, military servicemembers, pastors, teachers, and innovators, enriching communities across all 50 states. Their cultural, economic, and civic contributions reflect the very best of America’s immigrant story. It is only right that the U.S. stand in solidarity when the families and communities of such valuable contributors are suffering under violence abroad.

We, the undersigned, demand urgent U.S. leadership to protect vulnerable Christian communities in Nigeria, prevent further atrocities, and ensure accountability for those responsible.