7,000 to 50,000 Christians Killed in Nigeria’s Religious Violence – Rep. Michael Baumgartner Demands Accountability

U.S. Rep. Michael Baumgartner, R-Wash., said Wednesday that the people responsible for the persecution of Christians in Nigeria must be held accountable.

During his recent visit to Nigeria, the representative highlighted the violence against Christians in the country, noting that “it’s a very tough situation for many Christians.”

Baumgartner stated that somewhere between 7,000 and 50,000 have been killed in religious violence in recent times.

He added that President Donald Trump has taken the persecution in Nigeria very seriously, providing a morale boost for Christians there.

“The issue was a huge deal in Nigeria because some sectors of Nigerian society and the government have really been ignoring this problem, and many Christian leaders have been asking for help globally,” Baumgartner said.

Baumgartner reported that he met with the Nigerian national security adviser, the minister of defense, and others, who acknowledged that President Trump’s attention to the issue has brought it to the forefront in Nigeria. “Now they need to work together and, hopefully, work with America to improve the situation for Christians,” he said.

He noted that Islamic militants are using Nigeria’s relatively ungoverned spaces to attack Christians: “There’s just a lot of Islamic militants that are able to use the relatively ungoverned space of Nigeria to attack Christians.”

Baumgartner urged the Nigerian government to establish police forces capable of addressing the problem and to ensure trials and convictions for those involved in extremist attacks against Christians. “There are no silver bullets in these areas, but it’s the best when the local governments can deal with them,” he said.

He emphasized that Nigeria, as one of Africa’s richest countries, has the resources to take action: “It’s one of the richest countries in Africa. They do have the resources to take action.”

Baumgartner also stated that Trump’s threats of visa restrictions and increased tariffs could spur Nigeria into taking concrete steps: “I believe Nigeria will be spurred into taking action due to the threats of restrictions on visas and increased tariffs by Trump.”