Name: Fact check: Do terror groups in Nigeria target Christians?
Uploaded: 2025-11-22T02:07:00.405Z
Duration: 2 min 33 s
Description: U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened military action over the alleged mistreatment of Christians in Nigeria. But Nigerian officials say the rise in violence is not targeted at “a particular religion.” CBC’s Chris Brown debunks some of the misinformation spreading about Nigeria’s terrorist threats.

U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened military action over the alleged mistreatment of Christians in Nigeria. But Nigerian officials say the rise in violence is not targeted at “a particular religion.” CBC’s Chris Brown debunks some of the misinformation spreading about Nigeria’s terrorist threats.

Al Fashir

A CBC News analysis addresses claims that the Nigerian government is allowing Christians to be targeted and killed by terror groups. While high-profile figures such as Donald Trump and Nicki Minaj have drawn attention to attacks on Christians, experts and officials note that violence in Nigeria affects people of all religious backgrounds, including Muslims and atheists.

The report highlights that terror groups like Boko Haram have carried out kidnappings and massacres indiscriminately, with Nigerian officials denying that attacks are focused solely on Christians. Analysts suggest that the solution lies in increased military and political cooperation with neighboring countries and the United States, rather than unilateral military intervention.

Fact check: Do terror groups in Nigeria target Christians?

Is the Nigerian government really allowing Christians to be targeted and killed? Not exactly, despite what Donald Trump and some other celebrities say, including superstar rapper Nicki Minaj. In Nigeria, Christians are being targeted, driven from their homes, and killed. The U.S. president has even threatened war with Nigeria over the issue. They're killing record numbers of Christians in Nigeria. We're not going to allow that to happen. With more than 230 million people, Nigeria is Africa's most populous nation, roughly split between Muslims in the north and Christians in the south. The country has a prolific and persistent terrorism problem involving kidnappings and widespread indiscriminate attacks, along with violence between rogue gangs and clashes between mainly Muslim herdsmen and Christian farmers. Foreign relations analyst Ebenezer Obadare said it's not just Christians who are under attack. It's Nigerians, irrespective of their religious affiliation, whether they're Christian or Muslim or atheist, are being targeted. On November the 18th, gunmen attacked a church in Kawara State, kidnapping some of the worshippers. A few days earlier, 25 schoolgirls were kidnapped in a different community. In 2025 alone, jihadist militants such as Boko Haram have kidnapped hundreds of children and massacred fishermen, villagers and members of Nigeria's military. Boko Haram wants to establish a Sharia-based theocracy in Nigeria. There is no middle ground for Boko Haram. Boko Haram does not want to talk to you. Boko Haram wants to kill you. Nigerian officials deny they're letting Christians become easy targets. It is not about religion. It is about what is happening in the larger region. The terrorist activity is not about persecution of a particular religion. But even if Donald Trump has overstated that Christians are being singled out in Nigeria, Obadare says many people aren't upset about it. Most Christian groups, predictably, welcome the attention. I think President Trump is doing the right thing by saying, let's do something about it. How we do that, I think is where reasonable people can disagree. Obadare says the solution may be more military and political cooperation with neighbouring African countries and the United States, rather than a military invasion of Nigeria, which is what Donald Trump appeared to suggest.

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