Pope Leo XIV has identified Nigeria as one of the countries where Christians continue to face discrim+nation and p+rsecut+on. In a post shared on his official X account on Sunday, he emphasized the importance of peace as a divine virtue and called attention to the struggles of believers worldwide.
He noted that Christians in several regions endure targeted att@cks, highlighting Bangladesh, Nigeria, Mozambique, Sudan, and other countries where ass+ults on worship centres and faith communities are frequently reported. The Pope also offered prayers for families in Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, where civilians were recently mass+cred, urging unity and the rejection of vi%lence.
His remarks come amid ongoing documentation of Christian p+rsecution in Nigeria. Last month, Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), a Pontifical foundation, listed Nigeria among 24 countries where religious freedom is “seriously violated.” The report explained that in nations such as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Libya, Maldives, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sudan, and Yemen, p+rsecution often stems from a mix of authoritarian governance and religious extremism.
In response to global concern, former U.S. President Donald Trump has redesignated Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” over repeated reports of religious hara§§ment. The Nigerian government has rejected the designation, insisting that the country remains a secular state.
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