Nigeria’s Christian persecution need more than one day of prayer a year

Every November, Christians around the world set aside a day to pray for believers who suffer because of their faith. The need is staggering. According to Open Doors’ 2026 World Watch List, 4,849 Christians were killed worldwide for faith-related reasons during its latest reporting period. Of those, 3,490 were killed in Nigeria alone, nearly three-quarters of the global total.

The numbers are personal for those of us working on the ground. At Across Nigeria, our staff and volunteers have directly impacted more than 15,000 lives so far in 2026, working to reach persecuted Christians and Muslims in Northern Nigeria. Tragically, we estimate that 500 people we have led to Christ through our ministries have subsequently died because of persecution. We are so grateful for the hope of eternity.

But when the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church passes, do we return to our routines and leave their suffering behind until next year?

For Christians in Nigeria, persecution is not an annual observance. It is a daily reality. And for those of us who know the people behind the headlines, it is impossible to treat their suffering as a once-a-year prayer request.

I have spent years working alongside Christians in some of Nigeria’s most dangerous regions. I know people who have suffered horrific deaths because of their faith. I know families shattered by violence and communities grieving the loss of people they love. When I read about another church attacked or another community forced to flee, I think about the people I know who are living with that reality.

The attacks against Christians in Nigeria have not waned. Open Doors recorded 2,293 Christians abducted in Nigeria during its most recent reporting period. The violence is also now reaching communities once considered safer, bringing fear and uncertainty to families who had hoped the danger would remain somewhere else.

In June 2025, the Christian farming community of Yelwata in Benue State endured a devastating attack. Open Doors reported that 258 people, mostly women and children, were killed. Behind numbers like these are families who must somehow continue living after losing the people they love.

The perpetrators and circumstances vary. Extremist organizations and armed groups have exploited religious divisions, and some attacks are carried out by Fulani militants radicalized by extremist ideologies. We must identify those responsible and confront the forces driving this violence.

At the same time, the Fulani are a diverse ethnic people, not a single religious or political movement. Assigning collective guilt to an entire community for the actions of militants is wrong. Some Fulani have themselves suffered from extremist violence. At Across Nigeria, we have built relationships with 1,161 Fulani communities. Those relationships matter. We must identify those carrying out attacks without condemning an entire community. Doing so is both fair and necessary if we hope to address the sources of violence and build lasting peace.

Hebrews 13:3 calls Christians to remember those in prison as though we were imprisoned with them, and those who are mistreated as though we ourselves were suffering. This is more than an instruction to feel sympathy. It calls us to identify with people whose circumstances may be far removed from our own.

We pray for protection, comfort for grieving families, courage for pastors, and provision for displaced believers. We pray for justice and for communities torn apart by hatred to find a path toward peace. But prayer should also shape what we do when we rise from our knees.

As I return to Nigeria, I will visit places where attacks have occurred while I have been in the United States. I will meet people living with the consequences of violence that many Americans will never personally witness. Across Nigeria currently houses 300 persecuted Christians in its refugee facilities, providing shelter to people whose lives have been disrupted by violence.

Our Widow Ministry is also caring for 572 widows. Many have lost their husbands to persecution and must find ways to support their families. We are close to breaking ground on a dedicated center for widows, where we hope to provide additional practical support and help women rebuild stability for themselves and their children.

These efforts are part of what it means to stand with persecuted believers. An attack may last only hours, but the consequences can follow a family for years. That's when the work of helping survivors becomes especially important.

Most American Christians will never experience what these Nigerian believers face. But we can make an effort to understand what is happening, pray for the people affected, and support those working alongside them. We can also make sure their stories aren't forgotten once the headlines move on.

November gives churches a designated opportunity to pray for the persecuted Church. I hope it also encourages people to keep praying in the weeks and months that follow. The families I work with in Nigeria don't stop needing help when the observance is over. Neither does the Church's responsibility to them.

I think about the people I've met, the families I've watched struggle to rebuild, and the widows who are trying to provide for their children. They are the reason I keep doing this work. I hope Christians here in America will remember them, pray for them, and find ways to stand alongside them.