NIGERIA DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY AS ANGLICAN PRIEST DIES IN CAPTIVITY AMID CHRISTIAN GENOCIDE

The Nigerian President has declared a state of emergency amid claims of Christian genocide, while churches rally to support victims of violence and abductions. An Anglican priest kidnapped in the country recently died in captivity.

The state of emergency comes as Nigeria faces unprecedented levels of violence against Christian communities, with armed gangs and terrorist groups including Boko Haram and Fulani militants systematically targeting churches, schools, and Christian villages.

The Anglican priest's death in captivity highlights the deadly consequences of Nigeria's kidnapping epidemic, which has claimed thousands of victims including clergy, students, and civilians who are often killed when ransom demands go unpaid.

More than 7,000 Christians were killed in Nigeria in the first 220 days of 2025, averaging 35 deaths per day, according to international monitoring organizations. Of 4,476 Christians killed worldwide for their faith, 3,100 occurred in Nigeria, representing 69 percent of global Christian martyrdom.

Over 1,500 students have been kidnapped in the past decade, with recent mass abductions including over 300 students from St Mary High School in Niger state, where 265 remain in captivity despite 50 children escaping.

Churches across Nigeria have mobilized to provide humanitarian assistance to displaced Christians, support families of kidnapping victims, and offer trauma counseling to those who escaped terrorist attacks or witnessed violence.

The declaration of a state of emergency grants Nigerian security forces expanded powers to combat terrorism and rescue hostages, though critics note that similar declarations in the past have failed to stop escalating violence against Christians.

International Christian organizations have documented systematic patterns of attacks suggesting coordinated genocide rather than random criminal violence, with Christian communities specifically targeted for destruction.

US President Donald Trump recently stated that Christians are facing persecution in Nigeria and that he was prepared to take military action to protect them, acknowledging the severity of violence that Nigerian authorities have long downplayed.

THE CRUSADER'S OPINION

An Anglican priest died in captivity.

Seven thousand Christians killed in 220 days.

Three hundred students kidnapped from one school.

Now Nigeria declares a state of emergency.

Too late for the dead priest.

Too late for the 7,000 martyrs.

Too late for the 265 children still missing.

A state of emergency is what you declare before genocide.

Not after it is already happening.

Nigeria has known about systematic Christian slaughter for years.

The government did nothing while armed gangs operated with total impunity.

Now, after international pressure and Trump's threat of military intervention, suddenly there is an emergency.

This is not leadership.

This is damage control.

Churches rallying to support victims is beautiful and necessary.

But Nigerian churches should not be providing humanitarian relief.

The Nigerian military should be providing security.

When your government cannot protect clergy from being kidnapped and murdered, your government has failed its most basic function.

President Trump offered help.

Nigeria should accept it.

Pride is not worth 35 Christian deaths per day.

TAKE ACTION

1. Support Nigerian Christian relief efforts through Open Doors UK, providing emergency aid to families of martyrs and kidnapping victims. Donate at opendoorsuk.org or call +44 (0)1993 460015 for direct assistance to persecuted Nigerian believers.
2. Demand international intervention by contacting your government representatives via parliament.uk/get-involved or congress.gov. Press for Western military support to eliminate terrorist groups slaughtering Christians and kidnapping clergy across northern Nigeria.
3. Pray for the 265 students still held captive and for families of the Anglican priest who died in captivity. Contact Release International at releaseinternational.org or +44 (0)1689 823491 to join organized prayer networks for Nigerian hostages.
4. Fund Barnabas Aid's Nigeria emergency response providing shelter, food, and medical care for displaced Christians fleeing violence. Visit barnabasfund.org or call +44 (0)1793 610010 to support relief operations in conflict zones.
5. Contact the Nigerian High Commission demanding aggressive military action to rescue kidnapped victims and eliminate armed gangs. Call +44 (0)20 7839 1244 or email information@nigeriahc.org.uk pressing for justice and accountability.
6. Support Voice of the Martyrs documenting Nigerian Christian genocide and advocating for international response. Visit vom.org or call +1 (918) 337-8015 to fund witness documentation and support networks for families of murdered believers.