Christian Community in Borno State Cries Out Over Persecution and Destruction by Boko Haram
The Gwoza Christian Community Association, GCCA, in Borno State has raised alarm over alleged severe persecution and destruction faced by Christians in the area at the hands of Boko Haram insurgents.
In a detailed statement seen by PurpleWorld, titled “The Unspoken Genocide: GCCA Account on Christian Persecution in Gwoza, Borno State,” the group revealed that out of 176 churches that once existed in the Gwoza Local Government Area, 148 have been burnt down and now lie in ruins.
According to the GCCA, Gwoza once had a strong Christian presence with more than 176 church buildings before the insurgency began. However, years of attacks by Boko Haram have led to mass destruction of churches, homes, and entire Christian neighborhoods.
The group said that in Gava-West area alone, 74 towns and villages were attacked, 36,946 families were displaced, and 292 people were killed in 2013. In Attagara, 13 churches were destroyed, 1,738 families displaced, and 104 Christians killed by June 2014. Across Gwoza East and West, thousands of Christian houses were burnt and flattened.
By August 2014, GCCA recorded that over 2,000 Christian houses and 28 churches had been destroyed, and 102 Christians, including 12 pastors, were killed. Many of the attacks happened before the insurgency took full control of the region.
The group accused some public figures and Christian bodies of ignoring their suffering. It questioned why the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, has remained silent, asking whether it has become “a passive observer, unwilling or unable to defend its people.”
The GCCA also appealed to the Nigerian government to take urgent steps to protect Christians and ensure justice for victims. They called for independent investigations, prosecution of perpetrators, and assistance for displaced persons to return home safely.
The statement further noted that despite limited reconstruction efforts, many Christians have not been able to return to their original homes. Thousands are still living in refugee camps or squatting with relatives across Nigeria.
“Our pain is not just material; it is spiritual and emotional,” the group said. “We are indigenous Christians of Gwoza who have suffered killings, destruction, and displacement for too long. The world must not remain silent.”
The GCCA urged the international community, including the United States and global human rights organizations, to intervene by investigating the atrocities and helping rebuild destroyed communities.
The report was jointly signed by Rev. Dr. (Arc) Ayuba John Bassa, GCCA National Coordinator, and Rev. Filibus K. Goma, GCCA Chairman.
They concluded:
“This is our testimony as indigenous Christians from Gwoza. The blood and ruins cry out for justice. We have endured atrocities for too long. Denial and silence are over. Please let the world know.”
This development came after the President of the United States, Donald Trump, on Saturday said he had directed the Pentagon to begin preparing for possible military action in Nigeria.
Trump accused the Nigerian government of failing to stop the persecution of Christians in the West African nation.
“If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the USA will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria and may go into that now disgraced country ‘guns blazing’ to completely wipe out the Islamic terrorists behind these horrible atrocities,” Trump wrote on social media.
“I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action. If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet — just like the terrorist thugs attack our cherished Christians,” he added.
The warning followed Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s response to Trump’s earlier announcement designating Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” for allegedly failing to protect Christians.
In a statement released on Saturday, President Tinubu dismissed the claim, saying that it does not represent Nigeria’s reality.
“Religious freedom and tolerance have been a core part of our national identity and will always remain so,” he said. “Nigeria opposes all forms of religious persecution and upholds constitutional rights protecting citizens of every faith.”
Trump had earlier said that “Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria” and blamed “radical Islamists” for what he called “mass killings.” His remarks came weeks after U.S. Senator Ted Cruz called on Congress to designate Nigeria as a violator of religious freedom, citing what he described as “Christian mass murders.”
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation with over 220 million people, is almost evenly split between Christians and Muslims. The country continues to struggle with insecurity, including Boko Haram’s insurgency in the North, which has targeted both Muslims and Christians.
Analysts note that while there have been religiously motivated attacks, many others are linked to land disputes between farmers and herders, communal rivalries, secessionist movements, and other local conflicts. In many cases, most victims of violence in the country’s northern region are Muslims.
A spokesperson for Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, restated the government’s commitment to protecting all citizens.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria will continue to defend all citizens, irrespective of race, creed, or religion,” he said. “Like the United States, Nigeria celebrates diversity as our greatest strength.”
Nigeria was first placed on the U.S. list of “countries of particular concern” in 2020 over alleged violations of religious freedom. The designation, which did not single out Christian persecution, was lifted in 2023, reportedly to strengthen diplomatic relations ahead of a visit by then–Secretary of State Antony Blinken.