The Global Coalition for Freedom of Religion in Nigeria (GCFRN) has issued an urgent appeal to the National Assembly, demanding immediate action to address what it describes as widespread and documented violations of religious freedom affecting minority groups across the country.
Mounting International Concern
This call for action comes in the wake of the United States' decision to redesignate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC)—a classification reserved for nations that commit or tolerate severe violations of religious liberty. Rather than sending delegations to Washington to defend Nigeria's record, GCFRN has urged Senate President Godswill Akpabio and House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas to focus on resolving domestic issues first.
The coalition pointed to the 2025 USCIRF report, which documents systematic discrimination against Christians in several northern states. The report highlights ongoing enforcement of blasphemy laws, imposition of Sharia-based restrictions, school closures, targeted killings, and destruction of churches as key concerns.
Patterns of Discrimination and Violence
According to GCFRN, Christian communities continue to face significant barriers in obtaining land for worship centers and encounter discriminatory practices in access to education. The group also emphasized the persistent threats from terrorist organizations Boko Haram and ISWAP, alongside unresolved abduction cases including Leah Sharibu and the Chibok school girls.
The coalition accused government institutions of either failing to act or responding too slowly to religiously motivated violence. Citing specific incidents such as the killings of Deborah Emmanuel in Sokoto and Eunice Olawale in Abuja, as well as church destruction during the 2011 post-election violence, GCFRN warned that impunity has become a dangerous norm in Nigeria.
Proposed Reforms and Solutions
To reverse this troubling trend, GCFRN has proposed a comprehensive set of urgent reforms:
- Repealing blasphemy laws
- Guaranteeing equal access to land for churches
- Protecting students from compulsory religious indoctrination
- Dismantling Hisbah and Sharia policing structures
- Reclaiming insurgent-controlled territories
- Ensuring the rescue of abducted girls
The coalition also recommended amending the Human Rights Commission Act to establish a dedicated religious freedom monitoring unit.
GCFRN cautioned that continued inaction could lead to further diplomatic isolation for Nigeria while deepening fear and marginalization at home. The time for deflection is over, the statement emphasized, noting that Nigeria now needs decisive legislative and executive action.
The coalition reaffirmed its readiness to collaborate with lawmakers by providing necessary data, case files, and evidence to drive meaningful reform. The statement received endorsement from prominent religious freedom advocates including Emmanuel Ogebe of the Justice for Jos Project, Hon. Rimamnde Shawulu Kwewum of the Middle Belt Dialogue, Dr. Sam Amadi of the Christian Network for Justice and Community, and Rev. Dr. Gideon Para-Mallam of The Para-Mallam Peace Foundation.
