By Wilson Adekumola
The head of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of the Vatican City, Pope Leo XIV, has identified Nigeria as one of the countries where Christians frequently face attacks, alongside Bangladesh, Mozambique, and Sudan.
On Sunday, the pontiff used his official X account to voice concern over the recurring assaults on Christian communities and places of worship worldwide, urging prayers for peace and unity among believers.
“In various parts of the world, Christians suffer discrimination and persecution, I think especially of Bangladesh, Nigeria, Mozambique, Sudan, and other countries from which we frequently hear of attacks on communities and places of worship. God is a merciful Father who desires peace among all His children!” he wrote.
Pope Leo XIV also called for prayers for the families of Kivu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where recent massacres have claimed civilian lives.
“Let us pray that all violence may cease and that believers may work together for the common good,” he added.
The pope’s statement comes amid renewed international attention on Nigeria following United States President, Donald Trump’s October 31 declaration of the country as a “Country of Particular Concern” over alleged Christian genocide.
Trump warned that the Nigerian government must halt the killings or risk US troops being deployed “to wipe out the jihadists.”
The Federal Government has repeatedly rejected claims of a systematic “Christian genocide,” labeling such assertions false, misleading, and a distortion of Nigeria’s security situation.
Adding to the discussion, US Congressman Riley Moore criticized President Bola Tinubu’s insistence that Nigeria does not promote religious persecution, arguing that conditions on the ground contradict the President’s public statements.
