Highlighting Atrocities Against Christians in Nigeria and Urging UN and World Leaders To “Make Sure Evil Does Not Win”

The Human Rights Council was established at the United Nations to promote and protect human rights around the world. It holds three sessions a year and discusses the pressing human rights issues that require attention. We have the opportunity to make written submissions, as well as oral interventions, at each session, and we don’t take that for granted. Our mission is to highlight religious persecution and request intervention at every opportunity we get.

Today, during the 54th Session of the U.N. Human Rights Council, I presented an oral intervention on Nigeria. Although Nigeria has a substantial Christian population, the Islamic majority has systematically undertaken an all-out assault on them. As I pointed out in the intervention:

Killings, executions, beheadings, kidnappings, beatings, sexual assaults, burning of churches and villages – that’s what Christians in Nigeria are facing every day. There are literally thousands of Christians being slaughtered each year. In fact, a Christian is killed for their faith every two hours in Nigeria. Millions have been displaced, fleeing for their lives. This pervasive persecution is truly unfathomable. Yet as bad as these human rights violations are, it seems they are being allowed with impunity.

These horrors are literally a daily occurrence that are almost impossible for us to imagine. This violence targets innocent Nigerians simply for their faith in Jesus Christ. In fact, 90% of all Christian martyrs worldwide are killed in Nigeria. As a body created to protect human rights, the Human Rights Council cannot turn a blind eye to what is occurring in Nigeria. I reminded the council of its purpose – and Nigeria of its international commitments to protect the rights of its citizens.

It has been said that the only thing necessary for evil to win is for good men to do nothing. Indeed, this council was created to make sure evil does not win – that human rights are protected and valued around the world. Nigerian Christians are in dire need of assistance. Nigeria must be reminded of its commitments to protect not only the religious freedom of its citizens but their very lives. We must not let evil win.

At the ACLJ, we are committed to fighting against evil. We will use every opportunity we get to stand up for truth and fight for our God-given rights, which include the foundational rights to life and religious liberty. But we can’t do this alone. We need your help. Together, we can make sure that evil does not win.

In addition to this oral intervention, we also recently submitted a written report as part of the U.N.’s Universal Periodic Review on the atrocities being carried out against Christians in Nigeria. As we continually urge action at the U.N. to protect our brothers and sisters in Christ, please join us by signing our petition.