Religious violence in Nigeria

Religious violence in Nigeria refers to Christian–Muslim strife in Nigeria, which can be traced back to 1953. Today, religious violence in Nigeria is dominated by the Boko Haram insurgency, which aims to establish an Islamic state in Nigeria. University of Johannesburg law professor Werner Nicolaas Nel has noted that this has resulted in the persecution of Christians in Nigeria. Organisations that monitor political violence in Nigeria have reported that the majority of victims of jihadist groups are Muslim. The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) reported that, as of 2025, just under 53,000 Muslims and Christians had been killed in targeted political violence since 2009. According to ACLED's 2022 report, although Christians constitute roughly 50% of the population, violence explicitly targeting Christians on the basis of religion accounted for only 5% of reported civilian-targeting events. This includes murder, as well as the abduction of Roman Catholic and Methodist clergy. In 2025, this garnered international attention with United States president Donald Trump vowing military action in Nigeria if the attacks against Christians did not subside.