THE American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) has secured 487,452 signatures on an urgent petition calling for President Donald Trump to authorize military intervention to protect Christian communities in Nigeria from what supporters describe as systematic genocide, multiple sources confirmed Monday
The massive signature drive comes amid escalating White House focus on religious violence in Nigeria, with high-level diplomatic meetings between U.S. and Nigerian officials scheduled this week at the Pentagon and State Department.
The petition initiative responds to what humanitarian organizations describe as a devastating security crisis in Nigeria. According to ACLJ’s own reporting, approximately 120,000 Nigerian Christians have been killed since 2009, with over 18,000 churches and Christian-owned schools attacked or destroyed during this period.
Recent statistics from Open Doors’ World Watch List indicate Nigeria accounted for a staggering 90% of all Christians killed for their faith worldwide in 2023, ranking as the deadliest nation for Christians.
The Trump administration has taken increasing notice of the crisis. Earlier this month, President Trump designated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” for severe violations of religious freedom and threatened potential U.S. military action if Nigeria fails to protect Christian communities.
“If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians!” Trump wrote in a recent Truth Social post that sent shockwaves through diplomatic circles.
The ACLJ, founded in 1990 by evangelical leader Pat Robertson, describes its mission as “insuring the ongoing viability of constitutional freedoms in accordance with principles of justice as outlined in Scripture.” The organization has built what it calls a “legacy of victory” over more than 35 years of litigation, with numerous Supreme Court cases featured on its docket.