The Silent Genocide: Unmasking the Persecution of Christians in Nigeria and the Case for Division

 The Silent Genocide: Unmasking the Persecution of Christians in Nigeria and the Case for Division In a poignant video shared on X by human ...

 The Silent Genocide: Unmasking the Persecution of Christians in Nigeria and the Case for Division

In a poignant video shared on X by human rights activist and founder of Family Writers Press International Emeka Gift (@EmekaGift100), British advocate Alex Barbir delivers a raw, impassioned plea from his car, highlighting the ongoing violence against Christians in Nigeria. Barbir describes mass kidnappings, killings by Fulani militias, and a plea for international recognition of what he calls a targeted campaign. This aligns with Gift's accompanying post, which accuses the Nigerian government of concealing a "genocide" against Christians through poverty manipulation, propaganda, and a $9 million lobbying deal in Washington—while ordinary Nigerians defend or downplay the atrocities. The post also notes recent bullying of figures like Barbir and rapper Nicki Minaj for speaking out, culminating in a call to divide Nigeria to save its Christian population.

This article supports these claims by examining verified reports of violence, government cover-ups, public backlash against whistleblowers, and the growing argument for national division. Drawing from diverse sources including Christian advocacy groups, international media, and U.S. congressional records the evidence paints a picture of systemic persecution that demands urgent action.

The Scale of Violence: A Pattern of Targeted Attacks

Nigeria has long been a hotspot for religious violence, but recent data underscores the disproportionate targeting of Christians. According to Open Doors' World Watch List 2026, Nigeria accounted for 72% of global Christian killings in 2025, with 3,490 documented deaths. This echoes Barbir's video testimony, where he mentions the abduction of around 150 Christian students in Kaduna just days prior—a reference to the January 18, 2026, attacks where gunmen stormed three churches in Kurmin Wali, kidnapping 177 worshippers (166 of whom were later released). In separate incidents that month, at least 35 Christians were killed and nearly 175 abducted in Kaduna.

Also 170 were slaughtered in one day on the February 3-4, 2026 attacks in Kwara state, where gunmen killed at least 162-170 people in Woro and Nuku villages, with ongoing searches for bodies. Christian advocacy group CSW linked it to broader terrorist patterns, noting simultaneous attacks elsewhere that targeted Christians. These incidents fit a decade-long trend: The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law estimates 52,250 Christians killed in Nigeria over the past 14 years. Groups like Fulani militias and Boko Haram are frequently implicated, as Barbir highlights, turning the Middle Belt and north into killing fields.

Such violence isn't random it's exacerbated by poverty and government inaction, as the post alleges. Release International's Persecution Trends 2026 warns that without intervention, Christian deaths could double in 2026, with over 7,000 already killed in the first 220 days of 2025. This humanitarian crisis has drawn U.S. airstrikes and troop deployments, yet domestic denial persists.

Government Concealment: The $9 Million Lobbying Push

The Nigerian government's response? Not robust security reforms, but image management. As the post claims, Abuja hired Washington-based DCI Group for $9 million ($750,000 monthly) to "communicate its actions to protect Nigerian’s Christian communities" and sustain U.S. counter-terrorism support. Signed in December 2025 via National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, this deal—arranged through a Kaduna law firm—has been criticized by U.S. lawmakers as an attempt to downplay human rights violations. Rep. Chris Smith called it a "culture of denial," while others see it as lobbying to counter "genocide" designations.

This expenditure amid economic hardship—where poverty affects over 133 million Nigerians lends credence to the post's assertion that the government uses deprivation as a tool for control. Critics argue it's part of a broader strategy to obscure jihadist threats, as President Bola Tinubu's administration denies systematic persecution, framing violence as ethnic or criminal rather than religious. Yet, U.S. President Donald Trump's threats of intervention highlight the international skepticism.

Bullying Whistleblowers: The Cases of Nicki Minaj and Alex Barbir

Speaking out comes at a cost, as the post notes with the bullying of Minaj and Barbir. Nicki Minaj, who publicly backed Trump's "Christian genocide" claims, faced intense backlash for her U.N. speech urging global action against Nigerian violence. She described churches burned and families torn apart, amplifying Barbir's pleas. Critics accused her of distorting narratives, sparking online harassment that she framed as spiritual warfare.

Barbir, in his viral video, faced similar denial and attacks from Nigerians rejecting persecution claims, often labeling them foreign interference. This mirrors the post's point: a manipulated populace defending atrocities, silencing voices like theirs through social media bullying.

The post's bold call to divide Nigeria resonates amid unresolved grievances from the 1967-1970 Biafran War, where ethnic divisions fueled a conflict killing millions. Pro-Biafra groups like IPOB argue for division to protect Igbos and Christians, citing unholy marriage and practically different in value system. U.S. congressional debates, including H.Res.866, echo this, condemning persecution and supporting decisive action. Northern elders reject division, but advocates like Emeka Gift see it as essential for peace, potentially creating autonomous regions for Christians.

While some experts warn of further fragmentation, others argue a confederation or split could end the cycle of violence, allowing self-governance like in the UK's devolved nations. Without reform, the "genocide" label debated but substantiated by death tolls will persist.

Emeka Gift's post and Barbir's video are wake-up calls. Nigeria's Christians deserve protection, not propaganda. Division from every analytical view may be the only way to halt the bloodshed and foster true progress. International pressure, including from the U.S., must prioritize ending the killings than mere sovereignty. 

Family Writers Press International.