Minority Women Face Extreme Religious Violence in Nigeria

Author: Aahana Nagwekar

June 12, 2026

HRRC condemns the violence extremists groups are committing while targeting women and girls of Christian and other religious minority communities. HRRC also urges Nigerian authorities to take charge and initiate efforts to rescue the abducted girls and women, begin thorough investigations into extremist groups, and support the innocent victims immediately.

A woman holds a child, marking the one-year anniversary of the mass kidnapping of hundreds of schoolgirls by Boko Haram militants in 2015, in Abuja, Nigeria. [Image Credit: REUTERS/Afolabi Sotunde]

In recent days, UN experts have expressed clear warnings of human rights abuses by armed political groups within Nigeria, specifically in the Northern and Central regions. These warnings come at a time of “deteriorating security” within the country, enabling extremist groups such as Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province, and radicalised individual herdsmen to execute various forms of violence, including killings, abductions, sexual violence, forced conversions, and disappearances. These acts of injustice, however, are specifically targeting women and girls within Chrisitan and other religious minorities in Nigeria. Chrisitan women specifically are targeted within camps for internally displaced persons. 

Extremist groups and local armed militant forces point towards the local interpretations of Sharia law and blasphemy codes. Additionally, these groups rely on the lack of access to the justice system and accountability measures. This approach highlights a broader gap within the Nigerian justice system, specifically in regulating local regions. Additionally, the Nigerian government has continuously ignored the religious violence taking place, leading to direct communication with the United Nations.

Human rights experts have directly addressed the Nigerian government, highlighting multiple cases that demonstrate the ongoing violence at a deeper level. Some incidents include the forcible disappearance of girls from a church in Borno State, the forced conversion and marriage of a 13-year-old girl in Bauchi State, amongst other serious rights violations.

Despite growing concerns and increased threats, Nigerian authorities have failed to properly enact protection measures for the civilians at risk. UN experts have urged Nigerian authorities to take proper actions to ensure their safety, initiate efforts to rescue the abducted girls and women, enable transparent and thorough investigations on extremist groups, and support victims. Additionally, many other human rights and religious freedom groups have put out statements urging for further action, such as ADF International and the Special Rapporteurs on violence against women and girls. 

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Glossary

• Blasphemy – the act of insulting, mocking, or showing contempt for God, a deity, or sacred religious beliefs

• Deteriorating – to make worse or lower in quality or value

• Extremist – a person/group who goes to extremes, especially in political matters

• Radicalised – of or relating to the origin

• Sharia Law – Islamic law based on the Quran

• Herdsmen – a manager, breeder, or tender of livestock

• Internally Displaced Persons – individuals forced to flee their homes due to armed conflict, generalized violence, human rights violations, or natural disasters, who remain within their own country's borders

• Sexual Violence – any sexual act, attempt to obtain a sexual act, or other act of a sexual nature that is committed or attempted by another person without freely given consent

• Special Rapporteurs – independent human rights experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council

• Transparency – the principle of operating with openness, honesty, and clarity in actions and decisions