The United States Ambassador to the Holy See, Brian Burch, has condemned the persistent attacks on Christians and churches in Nigeria, describing the situation as intolerable.
Burch made the remarks on Friday in Rome during a conference on threats to religious freedom in Nigeria, organised by Solidarity with the Persecuted Church in collaboration with the U.S. Embassy.
Speaking to EWTN News, the envoy said the event aimed to highlight the suffering of Christians in Nigeria, noting that many have been deliberately targeted and killed.
He attributed the violence to extremist Islamic groups, stating that attacks have occurred both in churches and private homes. “The scale and size of the persecution of Christians there is intolerable,” Burch said.
Responding to the Nigerian government’s position that Christians are not being singled out, Burch pointed to the level of violence as the basis for Donald Trump designating Nigeria as a country of particular concern. He also referenced Trump’s earlier warning that Christians in the country face an “existential crisis,” adding that the United States is engaging Nigerian authorities on measures to enhance protection.
Also speaking, Steven Wagner, president of SPC, raised concerns about the growing number of internally displaced persons, claiming that more Christians are killed in Nigeria than in any other country globally.
Wagner called on the Vatican to intensify efforts in drawing global attention to the crisis and to continue urging the Nigerian government to improve the safety of its citizens.
Meanwhile, the 119th U.S. Congress has introduced several legislative measures aimed at addressing the situation. These include H.Res.866, sponsored by Riley Moore and co-sponsored by 39 lawmakers, which condemns the persecution of Christians in Nigeria.
In addition, Bill Huizenga and Chris Smith introduced H.Res.860, which supports Nigeria’s designation as a country of particular concern and advocates sanctions against individuals linked to the violence.
Earlier in February, the H.R.7457 bill, titled the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026, was also introduced. The legislation requires the U.S. Secretary of State to submit a report detailing efforts to address reported atrocities in Nigeria.
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