Christians Facing Severe Persecution in Nigeria, Sudan, Bangladesh, Mozambique — Pope Warns

Amid growing international concern over alleged Christian genocide in Nigeria, Pope Leo XIV has issued a fresh warning on the rising wave of Christian persecution across the country and in several regions worldwide.

In a statement released on Sunday, the pontiff lamented what he described as a disturbing pattern of “recurring assaults on Christian communities and their places of worship in Nigeria,” a concern amplified by an ongoing campaign led by several U.S. lawmakers. PulseNets learnt that the global outcry intensified in recent weeks as more reports of attacks surfaced from multiple states across Nigeria.

Highlighting the global scale of the crisis, Pope Leo XIV said, “Across many nations, Christians continue to face discrimination and outright persecution. My heart turns especially to Bangladesh, Nigeria, Mozambique, Sudan, and other regions where we repeatedly hear of violent strikes on churches and Christian communities.”

The Pope further appealed for unity and prayer among believers, urging Christians worldwide to intercede for victims of religious violence. According to him, “Let us pray earnestly for an end to all forms of violence, and let us strive together to build a society firmly rooted in peace and the common good.”

PulseNets obtained by ongoing diplomatic conversations that the Pope’s remarks intensified after U.S. lawmakers—including Ted Cruz, Nancy Mace, and Riley Moore—renewed their advocacy, alleging systematic attacks bordering on genocide against Nigerian Christians.

This comes as former U.S. President Donald Trump, in an October statement posted on Truth Social, asserted that “Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter. I am hereby making Nigeria a ‘Country of Particular Concern’ — but that is the least of it.”

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In another post, Mr. Trump further warned that he would consider authorising U.S. troop deployment to Nigeria to counter terror groups targeting Christians should the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu fail to take decisive action. He added that “the killings must stop immediately.”