Overview

• Cruz posted on X that more than 50,000 Christians have been massacred in Nigeria since 2009 and that over 18,000 churches and 2,000 Christian schools have been destroyed, but Newsweek reports his sourcing is unclear.
• Presidential spokesperson Sunday Dare called the claim careless rhetoric and said Nigeria is confronting terrorism that harms people of all faiths rather than a campaign to eradicate Christians.
• The U.S. State Department says it is deeply concerned about violence against Christians and members of other groups in Nigeria.
• Open Doors lists Nigeria as the seventh-most dangerous place for Christians and reports that 3,100 of the at least 4,476 Christians killed for their faith worldwide last year were in Nigeria, citing perpetrators such as Fulani militants, Boko Haram and ISWAP.
• Cruz introduced the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025 last month as debate continues over casualty figures, potential U.S. policy responses and the Middle Belt’s role as an epicenter of faith-linked and communal violence.