USCIRF Releases New Report on Ethnonationalism and Religious Freedom in Nigeria

Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new report on ethnonationalism and religious freedom in Nigeria:

Ethnonationalism and Religious Freedom in Nigeria – This report highlights ethnonationalist violence in Nigeria and its implications for religious freedom. Ethnonationalist fighters in Nigeria have politicized religion and attacked civilians based on ethnoreligious identity. These fighters commit some of the most egregious atrocities and human rights violations of any actors in the country. In several regions ethnonationalist militias have targeted ethnoreligious minorities as well as houses of worship and religious ceremonies with violence. This report documents these trends and highlights the Nigerian government’s disparate and ineffective approaches to curtailing violence by these groups, which have led to widespread impunity for violence, including violence against religious communities.

In its 2023 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended that the U.S. State Department designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for engaging in and tolerating systematic, ongoing, and egregious religious freedom violations. In June 2022, USCIRF conducted a research delegation to Nigeria and published a USCIRF Spotlight episode detailing the visit’s findings titled “Religious Freedom Takeaways on the Ground in Nigeria.”

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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze, and report on religious freedom abroad. USCIRF makes foreign policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion and belief. To interview a Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected].