‘Convert or die’: Nigerian Christians face Islamist ultimatums

 

In this photo released by Christian Association of Nigeria, a man walk past belongings at the St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary School after gunmen abducted children and staff in Papiri community, 

Armed militants attacking Christian communities in Nigeria are increasingly issuing a stark ultimatum to villagers: Convert to Islam and pay a religious tax known as jizya or face execution, according to eyewitness accounts collected by The Washington Times and international religious-freedom monitors.

Accounts of conversion threats surfaced after fighters linked to the Islamic State West Africa Province killed at least 25 Christians and burned homes during a February attack in Madagali County in Nigeria’s northeastern Adamawa State.

The assault drew international attention when U.S. Rep. Riley Moore cited the killings as evidence that Nigerian Christians are being targeted for their faith. “ISIS-West Africa is slaughtering Christians and telling other Christians they must convert or die,” the West Virginia Republican wrote in a statement posted on X. “Christians continue to be explicitly targeted for their faith in Nigeria.”