North Korea Tops Christian Persecution, Nigeria Most Deadly
North Korea Tops Christian Persecution, Nigeria Most Deadly
North Korea remains the most dangerous country in the world for Christians. Nigeria, however, has become the deadliest.
This is revealed in the World Watch List 2026, a global report that tracks how Christians are treated because of their faith.
The situation continues to worsen. About 388 million Christians now face serious persecution. That is eight million more than last year. This means one in seven Christians worldwide lives under pressure or threat. In Asia, two in five Christians are affected. In Africa, one in five faces persecution.
North Korea remains at the top of the list. It has held this position for 29 of the past 30 years. The government allows no religious freedom. Anyone caught with a Bible or practicing Christianity risks arrest, forced labor or death. Because of this danger, Christians worship in total secrecy.
The country controls its people through fear and false stories. Authorities spread claims that missionaries harm children. These lies help justify severe punishment. Over time, the Christian community has been forced deeper underground.
Nigeria ranks seventh on the list but records the highest number of Christian deaths in the world. Out of 4,849 Christians killed for their faith globally, about 3,490 died in Nigeria. This accounts for around 70 percent of all recorded deaths.
These figures are conservative and only include deaths clearly linked to Christian faith. Even with this careful count, the scale of violence remains alarming.
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Attacks on Christian communities continue across Nigeria. Armed groups carry out village raids, mass killings and kidnappings. In recent months, the crisis has gained international attention. The United States redesignated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern and carried out air strikes on militant camps during Christmas following attacks on Christians.
Some people describe the violence as a land or political conflict. The figures suggest otherwise. In Benue State, attackers killed more than 1,300 Christians, while only a small number of Muslims died. Similar patterns appear in Plateau and Taraba states. In Kaduna State, kidnappers abducted far more Christians than Muslims last year.
Henrietta Blyth, chief executive of Open Doors UK and Ireland, said the violence goes beyond local disputes. Survivors report attackers shouting religious slogans and openly threatening Christian communities. She said Christians in these areas know they are being targeted for their faith and deserve to be taken seriously.
She welcomed growing global attention but warned that awareness alone will not stop the killings. Nigeria, she said, remains the country where more Christians die for their faith than anywhere else in the world.
Across sub–Saharan Africa, persecution continues to spread. Weak governments and ongoing conflicts allow extremist groups to operate freely and attack communities.
The Middle East is also seeing a steady loss of Christians. Syria now ranks sixth after a rise in violence. A suicide bombing in Damascus last June killed 22 Christians and left many too afraid to return to church. There are also reports of pressure on Christians to convert.
Fear has driven many families to leave. Syria Christian population has dropped from about 1.1 million in 2015 to around 300,000 today. Similar declines continue in Iraq and the Palestinian Territories.
The report warns that Christianity risks disappearing from parts of its historic homeland unless urgent action is taken.
Content Credit: Boluwatife Abiola
Image Credit: Google. Com
