Recent violence in Nigeria, including attacks on religious institutions and communities, has brought the country’s long-standing security challenges into sharper global focus. While some observers have characterized the unrest as a “Christian genocide,” the United Nations warns the crisis is far more complex and widespread.
A Widening Conflict
The current instability began in 2009 in northeastern Nigeria with an insurgency led by Boko Haram, later joined by factions like Islamic State-West Africa (ISIS-WA). Over nearly two decades, the violence has expanded beyond its origins, reshaping large parts of the country. More than two million people remain displaced in the northeast alone, with an entire generation growing up in displacement camps, according to UN reporting.
The human cost is staggering: over 40,000 people have been killed since the start of the insurgency, and countless schools and health centers have been destroyed. However, the UN’s resident and humanitarian coordinator for Nigeria, Mohamed Malik Fall, emphasizes the deeper economic and social damage. “People have been cut off from all economic activity,” he said, “They are deprived of the ability to live from their work and preserve their dignity.”
Beyond the Northeast
The crisis is no longer confined to a single region. In Nigeria’s northwest, armed criminal groups are carrying out mass kidnappings and extortion in states like Zamfara, Katsina, and Sokoto, displacing around one million people. Clashes between farmers and herders in the central belt, exacerbated by climate change, are also driving displacement. Separatist movements and attacks related to oil production further contribute to the instability. The country now has roughly 3.5 million internally displaced people, representing nearly 10 percent of all displacement across Africa.
A Complex Narrative
Recent attacks, including the abduction of over 160 worshippers in Kaduna State in January, have drawn international attention and revived memories of the 2014 abduction of 276 schoolgirls from Chibok by Boko Haram. The US has responded with airstrikes and some officials have suggested a “Christian genocide” is underway.
However, the UN is refraining from using that characterization. Mr. Fall stated that the majority of those killed – over 40,000 – have been Muslim, citing an attack in Maiduguri on Christmas Eve that killed Muslim worshippers. “Insecurity affects everyone, without distinction of religion or ethnicity,” he said.
A Humanitarian Emergency and Shrinking Aid
The violence has created a massive humanitarian crisis. 7.2 million people in the northeast alone need assistance, with nearly six million in severe or critical condition. Food insecurity is a defining threat, with projections indicating up to 36 million Nigerians could face varying levels of food insecurity, and over 3.5 million children under five at risk of acute malnutrition. Climate shocks and disease outbreaks further compound the crisis.
Despite the scale of the emergency, funding for humanitarian aid is dwindling. Annual funding has fallen from close to $1 billion a few years ago to a projected $200 million this year, as donor attention shifts to other global crises like Ukraine and Sudan.
A Test for Nigeria
Nigeria’s situation presents a paradox: one of Africa’s largest economies grappling with a humanitarian crisis typically associated with less developed nations. Mr. Fall emphasized that Nigeria, unlike countries such as Sudan, Somalia, and South Sudan, possesses the resources to address the crisis, and that the primary responsibility for responding to humanitarian needs lies with the government. The UN is urging Nigerian authorities to take greater ownership of the response while continuing to appeal to international donors.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the origin of the current crisis in Nigeria?
The crisis began in 2009 in the northeast with an insurgency led by Boko Haram, later joined by splinter factions like ISIS-WA.
How many people are currently displaced in Nigeria?
Roughly 3.5 million people are internally displaced in Nigeria, with over two million in the northeast alone.
What is the UN’s position on claims of a “Christian genocide” in Nigeria?
The UN is refraining from that characterization, stating that the vast majority of those killed in the insurgency have been Muslim and that insecurity affects people of all religions and ethnicities.
As Nigeria confronts this complex and evolving crisis, what role will international cooperation and domestic resource mobilization play in ensuring the safety and well-being of its citizens?
