UNITED KINGDOM and INTERNATIONAL: Stop ignoring religion as a key cause of violent attacks – says bishop
A NIGERIAN bishop has denounced those denying religion is a crucial factor in “genocidal” violence in his country, at the launch of a report which found more than 5.4 billion people globally could face persecution and discrimination for their beliefs.
Bishop John Bakeni from Maiduguri Diocese, Nigeria was speaking at the launch of Aid to the Church in Need (ACN)’s 2025 Religious Freedom in the World report today (21st October), at an event in the UK Parliament hosted by Brendan O’Hara MP.
According to Bishop Bakeni, the underlying causes of violence in Nigeria’s Middle Belt are complex and can be attributed to factors including poverty, climate change and competition for land.
But he stressed: “Whilst the conflict is not solely about religion, it is equally simplistic not to see the religious dimension as a significantly exacerbating factor especially as churches, priests and other potent symbols of Christianity are attacked, seemingly with impunity.”
He told the meeting – which included parliamentarians and senior clergy – that militant nomadic Fulani herdsmen have devastated Christian farming communities in the region.
He added: “Over the past few years, violence has intensified – including horrendous massacres in the past year – in many of the attacks, the militants often first target the churches.”
In June 2025, more than 270 people died when Fulani militants rampaged through Yelewata, Benue State.
Bishop Bakeni said: “The first place they attacked was the local Catholic church, mercifully a small police patrol held them off, but instead they targeted the undefended centre of town.
“In these Middle Belt states, the Fulani herdsmen have incessantly terrorised many communities, wiping out some of them from existence.
“And in places like Agatu, Yelwata, Ukum in Benue State, Mangu and Bokkos in Plateau State – and Gwantu and Manchok in Kaduna State – these attacks assumed genocidal character, as over 1000 vulnerable persons were killed overnight in several attacks.”
In his own diocese of Maiduguri – where he oversaw research into Boko Haram terrorism – damage to more than 200 churches and chapels, 20 priests’ houses and parish centres had occurred by the Spring of 2017.
At least 1.8 million people in north-east Nigeria’s Borno State had been displaced by March 2017.
Militant jihadists have kidnapped women – forcing Christian girls to convert to Islam, including schoolgirls from Chibok in April 2014 and teenager Leah Sharibu in April 2018. Many of those seized remain captive, including Ms Sharibu and at least 80 Chibok girls.
Stressing religious extremism was a key factor in the violence in Nigeria, he said: “We must be brave and have the courage of our convictions to say, whilst the causes are complex, climate change never kidnapped the Chibok girls, killed priests, or burned down churches.”
Alongside the report, the Catholic charity also launched a global petition calling on governments and international organisations to ensure the effective protection of Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – which guarantees every person the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.
The biennial Religious Freedom in the World report, first released in 1999, is a global study of religious liberty and persecution across 196 countries.
Members of almost every religious group, including Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Jews, and Muslims, have suffered discrimination, physical violence, arrest, abduction, sexual abuse, and have even been killed.
Bishop Bakeni said: “In the face of persecution, we cannot remain silent.”
“Let this gathering renew global attention to the suffering of Christians and other religious minorities who suffer for their faith.
“Hostilities must end and protection must be guaranteed.”
