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Dear John,
When Boko Haram kidnapped 14-year-old Leah Sharibu and her classmates in 2018, Leah's courage made headlines around the world. She was the only one never released -- because she refused to deny her faith in Jesus Christ.
Leah's story reminds us that for countless Christians in Nigeria, persecution is not a distant threat -- it is a daily reality. More than 3,100 believers were killed and nearly 3,000 were kidnapped in 2024 alone, most at the hands of radical Islamist terrorists. Fathers, mothers, and children are being targeted simply for bearing the name of Christ. As far as we know, Leah herself remains in captivity to this day, having turned 22 in May.
But today, there is hope.
After years of advocacy by Family Research Council and other allies for international religious liberty, President Trump has officially redesignated Nigeria as a "Country of Particular Concern." This critical move recognizes the genocidal violence Christians face and restores vital diplomatic and economic tools to pressure the Nigerian government to protect its citizens and stop religious persecution.
During my tenure as chairman of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, I adopted Leah as a prisoner of conscience. I met with her mother and led efforts to pray for and advocate on her behalf. Just before the end of the first Trump administration, working with then Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, we successfully secured this same designation -- only to see it revoked by the Biden administration in 2021.
But we were not deterred -- we continued partnering with other organizations, coordinating coalition letters, and drawing on our relationships with pastors and leaders in Nigeria to bring firsthand accounts of persecution to Washington.
Earlier this year, our policy paper "Why Trump Should Label Nigeria a 'Country of Particular Concern'" laid the groundwork for why the Trump administration should once again make this policy choice to designate Nigeria a CPC. That paper was circulated in the halls of government over the summer. Now, thanks to your continued prayers, advocacy, and partnership, this vital protection has been reinstated.
This decision sends a powerful message to persecuted believers in Nigeria and elsewhere: You are not forgotten.
As a Christian public policy organization, Family Research Council engages on issues like this because Scripture compels us to. "Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter" (Proverbs 24:11). But beyond obedience, we recognize a vital truth: what America prioritizes, it protects and promotes. If we want to continue enjoying the blessing of religious freedom, we must defend it wherever it's under attack. Our silence abroad eventually erodes liberty at home.
Yet our work is far from over. As the Trump administration implements this policy, FRC will continue working tirelessly with Congress and international partners to ensure it brings real relief to the suffering church. Through our communication channels like Washington Watch and The Washington Stand, to our issue briefs and policy publications and direct engagement on Capitol Hill, your support makes FRC a voice for believers worldwide.
PARTNER WITH FRC
As Casey Harper, a reporter for The Washington Stand, told me on Washington Watch, "Nigerian leaders have been hesitant to admit Christians are being persecuted -- or have outright denied it." But truth cannot be ignored.
For over a decade, villages have been burned, churches destroyed, and families torn apart as radical Islamist factions have waged a campaign of terror against Christians.
Despite the overwhelming evidence, many in Nigeria's government continue to downplay these atrocities, often blaming so-called "climate conflicts" or "farmer disputes." Meanwhile, thousands of believers have been slaughtered or abducted, and tens of thousands of churches have been reduced to ashes. This denial of truth is not merely political -- it's moral negligence that allows evil to flourish.
The world must confront this reality. The persecution in Nigeria is not random violence; it is targeted, systematic, and driven by hatred of the Gospel. And while the international community looks away, entire Christian communities are being erased.
Earlier this year, I testified before the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa about the slaughter that was taking place at the hands of Boko Haram and Fulani militants.
I urged the administration then to recognize Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern. And thankfully, they have finally taken action. At FRC, we are ensuring that policymakers know the facts -- and that the U.S. government pressures Nigeria to act.
Will you stand with us in prayer and partnership today? Every gift you give strengthens FRC's voice in defense of the persecuted, equips us to hold Washington accountable, and declares to the world that the Body of Christ stands united.
STAND WITH US
Scripture reminds us in 1 Corinthians 12:26: "If one member suffers, all suffer together." When one part of the Body of Christ is wounded, we cannot look away. Their suffering must become our burden, their cries our call to prayer, and their faith our example of courage under fire.
The believers of Nigeria have not denied Christ in the face of death. How, then, can we deny them our voice, our prayers, or our action? Their steadfastness in persecution is a testimony that shakes the world -- and it demands a response from every follower of Jesus who still walks in freedom.
So let us pray with urgency. Pray for Leah Sharibu and the countless others held in captivity for their faith. Pray for the families mourning loved ones lost to violence. And pray that those who attack the Church might come to know the very Savior whom they are persecuting.
And then, having prayed -- let us stand.
With your partnership, FRC is using our providential location in the heart of Washington, D.C., our relationships with government leaders, and our public policy expertise to advocate on behalf of persecuted believers around the world on Capitol Hill.
Because when the Church stands united, darkness trembles.
May we be found faithful, bold in compassion, and resolute in our defense of the persecuted -- until every believer can worship freely without fear.
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