UN raises alarm over violence against Christians, minorities in Nigeria

The United Nations Human Rights Office has expressed concern over reports of killings, abductions, sexual violence and forced religious conversions affecting Christians and other religious minority groups in parts of northern Nigeria and the Middle Belt.

A statement released on Monday by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said worsening insecurity has allowed armed groups to operate with devastating consequences for civilians.

The office described the reports as deeply troubling, saying the deteriorating security situation has enabled extremist groups and other armed actors to operate amid allegations of impunity and inadequate protection for affected communities.

“The testimonies we have received paint a horrifying picture of fear, trauma, coercion and abandonment,” the statement said, adding that victims and survivors should be protected and given access to justice and reparations.

According to the UN body, religious minorities continue to face violence in several areas, including killings, attacks on places of worship, mass displacement and mob violence linked to blasphemy allegations.

The organisation also highlighted the dangers facing women and girls, saying they are vulnerable to abduction, sexual violence, forced marriage and forced conversion.

“We are particularly alarmed at the very specific and heightened risks of discrimination, violence and exploitation that Christian women and girls are exposed to,” the office said.

It added that “in many cases, those who resist are reportedly threatened, punished, disappeared or killed.”

The OHCHR referred to reports submitted to the Nigerian government, including allegations of abductions and sexual assault, the disappearance of girls taken from a church in Borno State, cases of forced conversion and child marriage in Bauchi State, and an attack on a 16-year-old girl whose hand was allegedly severed after her family rejected a forced marriage proposal.

The UN said these incidents reflect a wider pattern of violence affecting communities across parts of northern Nigeria, including attacks on villages, insecurity in displacement camps and continuing communal clashes. It further warned that displaced women and girls remain at risk of exploitation, with some allegedly forced into sexual acts in exchange for food or necessities, while others reportedly hide their religious identity to stay safe.

The office said that if the allegations are confirmed, they could amount to serious violations of international human rights law.

It urged Nigerian authorities to protect vulnerable communities, secure the release of abducted victims, carry out independent investigations and prosecute those responsible.

The statement warned that “impunity for these crimes only fuels further violence” and called for urgent action to prevent further abuses and ensure accountability.