They Burned the Church With the Pastor Inside; and the World Moved On

Chris Queen : Feb 17, 2026
PJ Media

"...Nigeria has been the most violent place in the world for followers of Jesus for several years. In northern Nigeria, 12 states have implemented Islamic law..." -Open Doors

[PJMedia.com] One of the most significant stories in recent years that doesn't get the press it deserves is the genocide of Christians in Nigeria. Sure, Nicki Minaj has called it to international attention, and publications like PJ Media have sounded the alarm—even as recently as February 1, when my colleague Catherine Salgado pointed out how Nigeria is a hotspot for Christian persecution. (Screengrab image: via Open Doors)

The international relief organization and watchdog Open Doors has Nigeria at #7 in its 2026 World Watch rankings for Christian persecution. This is despite the fact that 107,275,000 of Nigeria's population is Christian—nearly half of the nation's 220 million.

"In Nigeria, Christians suffer significant and severe persecution—to such a degree that Nigeria has been the most violent place in the world for followers of Jesus for several years," Open Doors reports. "In northern Nigeria, 12 states have implemented Islamic law, creating a system where Christians live as second-class citizens, and conversion from Islam can be severely punished."

It can be difficult to wrap our heads around what the level of persecution in Nigeria looks like. Sometimes numbers just look like statistics, so the stories behind the numbers can bring this horror to our attention more fully.

The Daily Mail's David Patrikarakos recently traveled to Nigeria to see the devastation firsthand. What he writes could break even the toughest heart:

Driving through the vast, scorched landscape, I hear the words that have followed me all day. 'They roasted the pastor and his wife alive in the church. We heard their screams.'... Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here

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