In the course of history, there are moments when crises unravel so quickly into catastrophes, and with agony, we have to admit it’s “too late” to reverse the damage. We saw in hours as Rwanda collapsed into one of the worst genocides humanity has ever seen or even Somalia.
We all wish we could have somehow proactively prevented the carnage, but instead, we can only look back and mourn the lives lost half a world away.
I fear we’re approaching a horrific sequel in Nigeria. Over the past 20 years, Boko Haram and radical Fulani militants have waged an all-out assault on peaceful Christian villages, sparing none from unspeakable atrocities.
In the last ten years, Boko Haram has slaughtered 42,000 innocent Christians. Fulani militants have killed another 17,000, and they have no intention of slowing down. So far, 2020 has proved to be a horrific year with a death toll of over 1,600 in only six months. Nigeria from Pew Research is ranked for having the top five Muslim population in the world and the top six for Christian population, making it a double-edged sword that could prove to be chaotic if “hate crimes” against Christians continue to increase without any oversight.
Now is the time to act. The international community can no longer stand by, unaware of the issue. If we continue to wait, there’s nothing to prevent this genocide from reaching the level of Rwanda’s or worse.
The Nigerian government is either unwilling or unable to keep its citizens safe. Plagued with internal corruption, the Buhari administration has refused to recognize the severity of the situation.
It’s time for the United States to lead once again and apply pressure to President Buhari. By deploying a special envoy to Nigeria, President Trump would not only force the government to protect its people, but he would also send a clear signal to the world: The United States will not tolerate religious persecution.
Losing Nigeria to the rule of ISIS/Daesh and other radical terrorists would spell doom for the region and shake the world. I urge all to wake up to this issue and encourage our leaders to act.
-David Niffenegger
