UN Experts Express Concern Over Violence Against Christian Women in Nigeria

Five United Nations human rights experts have issued a joint letter to the Nigerian government expressing grave concern regarding the escalating insecurity in northern Nigeria and the Middle Belt. The report highlights that Christian women and girls are increasingly targeted by non-state armed groups, including Boko Haram, ISWAP, and Fulani herder militias. These groups are accused of perpetrating killings, abductions, sexual violence, and forced marriages.

The experts noted that between 2019 and 2025, thousands of attacks resulted in tens of thousands of civilian deaths, with Christians forming the majority of the victims. The letter details specific incidents, such as the abduction of a pastor’s daughters in Borno State and the forced conversion and marriage of minors. In one instance in Kaduna State, a teenager reportedly suffered the amputation of her hand after her family resisted a forced marriage demand. The UN representatives have called for urgent attention to these human rights violations, emphasizing the systemic vulnerability of women in the region.