"It is a persecution issue," Brandon said. "I mean, you've got over 50,000 Christians that have been killed since 2009; 18,000 churches have been destroyed."

Additionally, he said there are "internally displaced persons camps" with millions of people being housed there. The majority of these individuals are reportedly Christian.

"Their communities and their villages are being destroyed, and they have nowhere else to go," Brandon said. "So there is an issue of Christian persecution going on, no doubt. Christians are being targeted. They are second-class citizens all throughout northern Nigeria."

Brandon said there are a lot of complexities to the issue, though, and proceeded to explain some of the confounding and difficult elements.

"Some people cite, 'Well, there's a lot of Muslim on Muslim violence. And that's absolutely true. Boko Haram will target Muslims just as fast ... as anybody else," he said. "We are very familiar with several schools, Islamic schools, who've had Muslim children kidnapped by Boko Haram. They end up holding them for ransom. These are Muslim children and holding them for ransom, and that's a lot of times how Boko Haram will fund their operations."

He said this targeting of non-radical Muslims is a reality, with extremists angry that these individuals refuse to embrace their version of Islam.

Still, Brandon said the overall numbers paint a very clear picture of what's happening inside Nigeria.

"If you look at the overall numbers, clearly Christians are being targeted, and ... the killing, and the persecution, and the displacement are all disproportionate by far against Christians," he said.

Brandon decried media outlets that are doubting this reality as coming from specific ideologies or even leaning too far into the Nigerian government's narrative.

"They were out outright denying that there was any persecution against Christians going on," he said. "So I look at that as just a bias against Christianity, really, in the media — secular media."

President Donald Trump recently redesignated Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern, a designation that will put further scrutiny on Nigeria's handling of persecution. Then, last week, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu issued a state of emergency following mass abductions. Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here

To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE

Street Preacher's Arrest in Mississippi Sparks Supreme Court Case on Free Speech Rights

Trump Offers Plan for Healthcare Cost Crisis, GOP Senator Vows 'We're Going to Fix Obamacare'

Nigerian Persecution Horror: Expert Dismantles Disturbing Media Narrative

Man Dies on Operating Table, Meets Jesus, Sees Heaven; Stunned Doctor Says: 'God's Not Done with You'

Florida Moves to Redistrict in Congressional Maps Arms Race

Maduro's Ex-Insider Turns Whistleblower, Sends President Trump an Explosive Letter

Experts Warn Parents AI Christmas Toys Put Kids at Risk: 'Trouble in Toyland' [Video]

Pete Hegseth to Bring Christmas Back to the Pentagon: Blaze Exclusive

Iryna's Law Needs to Be Replicated Around the Country

Navy Admiral Set to Testify on Capitol Hill About Drug Boat Strike in Caribbean That Killed Survivors

DOJ: University of Delaware Student Allegedly Plotted Attack on Campus Police; Illegal Weapons Recovered

'Unbelievable Revival': God Is Moving with Power in Transnistria Despite Russia's Heavy Hand [Video]

Putin Calls Witkoff's Ukraine Peace Talks 'Difficult', Consensus 'No Easy Feat'

J6 Pipe Bomber Identified and Arrested

Warning: Pfizer's mRNA Flu Shot Linked to Very Serious Side Effects, Especially in Seniors

Ex-Muslim Leads 100,000 to Jesus: 'There Is Hunger in the Muslim World to Hear About Christ'

UNCOVERED: Hamas' Strategy to Infiltrate, Control NGOs in Gaza

Secretary Hegseth Considers Breaking with Woke Scouts after Longtime Pentagon Partnership

Rep. Harris Introduces Bill to Stop Discrimination against Homeschoolers

Bessent Moves to Completely Cut Off Illegals from US Financial System