Church services look different for Pastor Barnabas and his congregation.

There are no pews or hymnals to be seen on a Sunday morning. There is no stage or pulpit. There’s not even an open-air meeting structure, as might be seen elsewhere in his home country of Nigeria. Instead, Barnabas sits with other Christians in the middle of a camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs), where he has lived for over five years. There, makeshift tents sprawl in every direction, there is limited food, no running water, and a general sense of hopelessness. Barnabas lives with his wife and five children in a tent with floorspace not much larger than a mattress.

Barnabas is one of an estimated 16.2 million Christians who have been displaced across parts of sub-Saharan Africa in recent years, including in Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Mali, and the Democratic Republic of The Congo.

According to research from Open Doors, who work to strengthen and support persecuted Christians around the world, extremist violence in this part of the world has been rising in recent years. Militant activity from groups such as Boko Haram has resulted in Nigeria ranking as the seventh most difficult country to live in as a Christian, according to Open Doors rankings.

“Each person you see here,” said Barnabas, speaking to Open Doors partners about his congregation, “we are all Christians. We are here because of violence. Millions of Christians are displaced in Nigeria. But nobody talks about it. We are remaining in darkness. How would you feel to be forgotten?”

Barnabas remembers the attack on his village that forced him and his family to flee. He had been working on his farm when the extremists arrived.

“Militants surrounded us, with guns, machetes and sticks…my brother was shot dead, and his wife was killed. I kept running and was attacked with a stick. My hand was broken.” 

He added, “I lost everything…now I cannot take care of my family. I cannot feed them. My children no longer go to school.” 

In the north part of Nigeria, looting, attacks, and mob violence have resulted in a humanitarian crisis that, while not limited to Christians, does involve them disproportionately.

Christians comprise approximately seventy percent of the population of Nigeria’s southern states. There, Christian persecution is nearly non-existent. In the north, however, Christians are a minority and Islamist extremist activity presents a constant threat.

While Nigeria is officially a secular country, with freedom of religion, in practice Sharia law has been enacted in several northern states. There, Christians – especially those converting from a Muslim background – have a much harder time practicing their faith. And it is there that militant groups concentrate their activity.

From September 2023 to October 2024, over 3,000 Christians were killed for faith related reasons. Thousands more were displaced, as Islamist groups targeted and looted Christian communities. And over 2,800 Christians were abducted, also for faith related reasons. This violence has continued into 2025.

One victim of abduction was Rifkatu. She had been displaced, along with her husband of only a few weeks. Life was hard, but the newlywed couple dreamed of a better life.

Those dreams were uprooted when Rifkatu and her sister-in-law were captured by militants while they were out gathering food. The two women were kidnapped, assaulted, and taken to a camp where other women were being held. Rifkatu remembers something specific about the captives.

“They did this to us because we are Christians,” she said. “All those who were kidnapped, I didn’t see any Muslims held there.”

Following further abuse, Rifkatu was eventually allowed to return home. But the healing did not come immediately: the trauma she endured remained.

For Christians like Rifkatu and Barnabas, the joy and hope of Christ can feel distant. Barnabas has not had a home for years. Rifkatu is still working through the horrors she endured in captivity. And these are just two of millions of stories of Christians in Nigeria who have been impacted by the rising violence.

Open Doors works through local church partners to provide help and hope where possible. They were able to connect Rifkatu with a trauma care professional, who worked with her over several months of discipleship and encouragement. Today, Rifkatu has found forgiveness in her heart through Christ. “Something I will never forget is taking our pains to the cross,” she said. “I used to say ‘These [extremists], I will never forgive them till eternity. But since I came and received these teachings, I have forgiven them in my heart.”

Elsewhere, in Pastor Barnabas’ camp, Open Doors partners have been able to provide food, medical aid, and skills training to help in employment opportunities. He is grateful for the help but knows that his focus is on something greater. “Our eye and our hope are on God,” he said. “If God will fight this battle, a day shall come when we will live a good life.”

Learn more

The Arise Africacampaign is a multi-year effort from Open Doors to bring awareness about the plight of the church in sub-Saharan Africa. You can join in by signing the Arise Africa petition, calling on the global community to recognize and respond to the violence. When the goal of one million signatories is reached, Open Doors will present the petition to the United Nations.