Cover image is from Christmas 2023 attack that left over 150 Nigerian Christians killed, 200 families displaced and 300 injured/maimed.
The escalating violence against Christians in Nigeria has been thrust into the spotlight by American comedian and commentator Bill Maher during a recent episode of his HBO programme Real Time with Bill Maher (Sept. 26).
Known for his sharp critiques of religion and politics, Maher used his platform to highlight a crisis that has been largely overlooked, particularly in Western media, including New Zealand’s mainstream outlets, which have prioritised coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict over the systematic targeting of Nigerian Christians.
Maher, who has hosted the unscripted talk show since 2003, was joined by U.S. Representative Nancy Mace, a Republican from South Carolina, who commended him for raising the issue. “It’s astonishing that this hasn’t captured global attention,” Maher stated. “If you’re unaware of the situation in Nigeria, your news sources are letting you down.”
He noted that over 100,000 Christians have been killed since 2009, with 18,000 churches destroyed, primarily by Islamist groups like Boko Haram.
“This is a far more deliberate attempt at wiping out a religious group than what’s happening in Gaza,” Maher argued, questioning the absence of protests or significant media coverage in the West.
In New Zealand, mainstream media has largely focused on the Israel-Hamas war, dedicating extensive coverage to the conflict while the slaughter of Nigerian Christians receives scant attention.
This disproportionate reporting has left many New Zealanders unaware of the scale of the crisis in Nigeria, where a genocide, as Maher described, is unfolding with little international outcry. The lack of coverage has perpetuated a narrative that sidelines the suffering of Nigerian Christians, whose plight deserves urgent global attention.
According to the 2025 World Watch List by Open Doors, Nigeria ranks seventh among the 50 worst countries for Christian persecution.
Of the 4,476 Christians killed globally for their faith during the reporting period, 3,100 (69%) were in Nigeria. The report notes that anti-Christian violence has reached the maximum measurable level under its methodology. In the North-Central region, where Christians are more prevalent, extremist Fulani militias target farming communities, disproportionately killing Christians.
In northern states, where government control is limited, groups like Boko Haram and the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) carry out raids, abductions, sexual violence, and roadblock killings. Kidnappings for ransom have surged, and the violence is now spreading to southern Nigeria.
A new Al-Qaeda-linked group, Lakurawa, has emerged in the northwest, armed with advanced weaponry and a radical Islamist agenda, further escalating the threat.
The focus on the Israel-Hamas conflict in New Zealand’s media landscape has overshadowed the urgent need to address the atrocities in Nigeria.
While global conflicts warrant attention, the near-total silence on the targeted killings of Nigerian Christians raises questions about NZ media priorities and their impact on public awareness.
New Zealand, as a nation that purports to uphold human rights and religious freedom, faces a moral imperative to advocate for those enduring this underreported crisis.
By amplifying the voices of Nigeria’s persecuted Christians, the country can contribute to global efforts to address this humanitarian tragedy and support a community under siege.
