“So that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.”
President Donald Trump re-designated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) on October 31 (local time), officially recognising the ongoing persecution of Christians by extremist militants and urging the international community to respond.
President Trump stated, “Radical Islamists are carrying out mass slaughter in Nigeria,” adding, “For this reason, Nigeria is designated as a Country of Particular Concern.” Previously, in 2021, President Joe Biden removed Nigeria’s CPC designation without explanation, reversing the decision made by the Trump administration.
Sean Wright, president of International Christian Concern (ICC), welcomed the move, saying, “This represents a significant step toward mobilizing the global community to confront the atrocities that have devastated so many families and communities in Nigeria. Our prayer is that this designation will encourage other world leaders to follow suit and lead to tangible action that brings relief and lasting change for those suffering at the hands of violent extremists.”
The decision sends a strong policy signal and renews global attention on Nigeria’s worsening human rights and religious freedom crisis. Extremist groups such as Boko Haram, ISWAP, and Fulani militants have continued to launch brutal attacks on Christian communities—often with little to no accountability.
Trump highlighted the staggering number of Christian deaths, noting that 3,100 Nigerian Christians were killed last year out of 4,476 Christians killed worldwide, underscoring Nigeria as the global epicentre of faith-based violence. Rep. Riley Moore added that 82% of Christians killed for their faith between October 2022 and September 2023 were Nigerian, stressing the necessity of restoring Nigeria’s CPC designation and taking diplomatic action.
Security conditions in Nigeria have rapidly deteriorated in recent years. Since President Bola Tinubu took office in 2023, more than 10,000 people have been killed, hundreds abducted, and over 3 million displaced from their homes. In just the first seven months of 2025, more than 7,000 Christians have been killed—an average of 35 deaths every day.(Source: Gospel Prayer Newspaper, Edited Version)
Persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.(2 Corinthians 4:9-10)
God, into Your hands we place Nigeria, where persecution against Christians has become so severe that it has been re-designated as a Country of Particular Concern. Strengthen the faith of the Nigerian church, and grant them the boldness that belongs to those who possess eternal life, so that they may testify that though they are persecuted by armed militants, they are never abandoned. May the international community not withdraw their helping hands, and may the churches of the nations stand with them in united prayer. Through the life of Jesus revealed in their faith, we look with expectation to the saving work You will accomplish as the lost souls of Nigeria return to the LORD.
Prayer 24·365
prayer@prayer24365.org
