Pope Leo XIV, head of the Catholic Church, has rejected claims that Christians are facing genocide in Nigeria, noting that the violence in the country affects Christians, Muslims, and other communities alike.
The Pope made the remarks on Wednesday while speaking to journalists as he departed his Castel Gandolfo residence in The Vatican.
Asked about the safety of Nigerian Christians amid rising concerns in the West, Pope Leo XIV attributed the unrest to terrorism, economic pressures, and disputes over land ownership.
“I think in Nigeria, in certain areas, there is certainly a danger for Christians, but for all people. Christians and Muslims have been slaughtered,” he said. “There’s a question of terrorism. There’s a question that has to do a lot with economics, if you will, and control of the lands that they have. Unfortunately, many Christians have died, and I think it’s very, very important to seek a way for the government, with all peoples, to promote authentic religious freedom.”
The Pope’s comments follow President Donald Trump’s recent designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern over alleged violations of religious freedom, a claim that the Nigerian government has rejected.
Authorities said portraying the crisis as targeting Christians alone misrepresents the situation on the ground.
Earlier, the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, described the violence in Nigeria as a social conflict, often between herders and farmers, rather than a religious war. His remarks came during the presentation of the 2025 Religious Freedom Report by Aid to the Church in Need.
On Thursday, Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, led a high-level delegation to the United States to address allegations of Christian persecution. The delegation met with Congressman Riley Moore, who had been tasked by former President Trump to investigate the claims.
Ribadu’s team briefed Moore on the complexities of the crisis, who described the meeting as “frank, honest, and productive.”