UN experts warn of rights violations against Christian and minority women in Nigeria

Crime Diary, International

GENEVA, Switzerland (NPA) — The UN Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council have raised alarm over credible reports of killings, abductions, sexual violence, forced conversions, child marriages, and acts tantamount to enforced disappearances targeting Christian and other religious minority communities in Nigeria, particularly women and girls.

In their latest report, the independent experts described the situation as “deeply troubling,” citing the deteriorating security environment in northern Nigeria and the Middle Belt where extremist groups such as Boko Haram, ISWAP, and radicalised herdsmen continue to operate with devastating consequences amid impunity and institutional failures.

“The testimonies we have received paint a horrifying picture of fear, trauma, coercion and abandonment,” the experts said, stressing that victims must not be left without protection, justice, reparations, and meaningful support.

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The report highlighted incidents including the abduction and sexual assault of Christian women, the disappearance of girls taken from a church in Borno State, the forced conversion and marriage of a 13‑year‑old in Bauchi, and the brutal attack on a 16‑year‑old whose hand was cut off after her family rejected a forced marriage proposal.

The experts warned that displaced women and girls are particularly vulnerable to sexual exploitation, often coerced into survival strategies such as concealing their religious identity.

They urged Nigerian authorities to act urgently to protect those at risk, secure the release of abducted victims, investigate and prosecute perpetrators, and guarantee remedies for survivors. “Impunity for these crimes only fuels further violence,” they said.

The report comes ahead of an official visit to Nigeria by UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, Nazila Ghanea, scheduled for June 8–19, 2026, with findings to be presented to the Human Rights Council in March 2027.