U.S. Welcomes Nigeria Terror Convictions—But Christian Death Toll Keeps Climbing
Washington praised mass trials as a step toward accountability, yet violence against Christians continues at a pace of 32 deaths per day while international attention remains limited
“The United States commends the Nigerian government for its strong commitment to expediting trials addressing terrorism and related crimes,” Senior Advisor for Arab and African Affairs Massad Boulos said in a statement on April 12. “We welcome the convictions of 386 Islamist militants in cases that had previously faced significant delays in the courts, and we recognize this as an important step toward accountability and justice.”
The statement came one day after Nigeria concluded mass trials that sentenced militants tied to Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) to terms ranging from five years to life imprisonment. Boulos emphasized that “timely and transparent legal processes are critical in confronting extremism and reinforcing public trust in judicial institutions.”
The Trials: Progress After Years of Delays
The trials, concluded Friday in Abuja, processed more than 500 cases. Nigeria’s Attorney General Lateef Fagbemi called the proceedings a breakthrough, part of a series of trials involving suspects that started in 2017 with more than 2,000 defendants.
The convictions represent a real effort to clear a backlog and demonstrate that the rule of law can function even in parts of Nigeria where jihadist groups have operated with near-impunity for years.
The Attacks: 32 Christians Killed Per Day
Yet the violence those convictions address continues at an alarming pace. Three days before the U.S. statement, Fulani militants killed 20 Christians in Mbwelle village, Plateau state, according to residents and local church leaders. On Good Friday, April 3, Fulani herdsmen killed three more Christians in Jos. The week before that, over 28 Christians died in another attack on Angwan Rukuba.
In the first 220 days of 2025 alone, more than 7,000 Christians were killed in Nigeria, according to data from the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law cited by the charity Release International. That’s roughly 32 Christians killed per day—a pace that could push the 2026 toll past 14,000 if it holds. Nigeria accounted for 72 percent of all Christian killings worldwide in 2025, according to Open Doors’ World Watch List.
Multiple Threats, Insufficient Attention
The violence comes from multiple sources. Boko Haram and ISWAP target Christians explicitly in the northeast. Fulani herdsmen—some radicalized, others simply armed and operating in a vacuum of state control—attack farming communities in the Middle Belt, burning churches and forcing entire villages off their land. A new group, Lakurawa, has emerged in the northwest with Al-Qaeda ties and advanced weaponry.
The convictions are a step toward accountability. But the scale of ongoing violence against Christians in Nigeria—and across Africa—demands far more international attention and sustained pressure than it currently receives. The 386 militants sentenced this week were arrested years ago. New attacks happen weekly, sometimes daily, and the international response remains largely confined to diplomatic statements after major breakthroughs like this week’s trials.
If the trajectory holds, Nigeria’s Christian communities face one of the deadliest years on record while the machinery of justice processes cases from half a decade ago. Progress in the courtroom matters. So does what’s happening in Plateau state right now.