Pope Leo XIV has listed Nigeria among the countries where Christians experience discrimination and persecution.
In a message shared on X through his official account on Sunday, the pope emphasised the importance of peace, describing it as a divine virtue.
“In various parts of the world, Christians suffer discrimination and persecution. I think especially of Bangladesh, Nigeria, Mozambique, Sudan, and other countries from which we frequently hear of attacks on communities and places of worship,” he wrote.
“God is a merciful Father who desires peace among all His children! I accompany in prayer the families of Kivu, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where in recent days there has been a massacre of civilians.
“Let us pray that all violence may cease and that believers may work together for the common good.”
His remarks come amid continuous reports of Christian persecution in Nigeria.
Recently, Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), a Pontifical foundation, released a report naming Nigeria among 24 nations where religious freedom is “seriously violated”.
“The nature of persecution varies across different contexts. In eight countries—Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Libya, Maldives, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sudan and Yemen—it results from a combination of authoritarian governance and religious extremism,” the report stated.
However, during the presentation of the report in Rome, Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin played down the notion that Nigeria’s insecurity is purely religious.
“We should also recognise that many Muslims in Nigeria are themselves victims of this same intolerance,” Parolin noted.
“These are extremist groups that make no distinctions in pursuing their goals. They use violence against anyone they see as an opponent.”
His comments sparked criticism among some Catholic clergy.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump has again named Nigeria a “country of particular concern” (CPC) based on global reports.
The federal government continues to reject this classification, insisting that Nigeria remains a secular state.