Christian Persecution is Exploding: New Report Reveals the World's Worst Hotspots

A persecution watchdog is sounding the alarm about the worsening situation for Christians unfolding around the globe. Shawn Wright, president of International Christian Concern (ICC), told CBN News that his organization's 2026 Global Persecution Index exposes some truly diabolical situations in various nations. But at the core of the shocking statistics and metrics is a sobering reality: people's lives are being upended and even destroyed. "Behind every statistic is a real person, a husband, a wife, pastor, or a child who has chosen faithfulness to Christ despite enormous persecution," he said. "The index is not simply a report about persecution. It's a call for the global church to stand with our brothers and sisters who suffer for their faith, because behind every statistic is a real person — and they've chosen Jesus over safety." Wright said Christians shouldn't be surprised by rising persecution, explaining that he believes the New Testament is very clear on the matter. Jesus himself warned believers that they, too, would face pushback for following Him. Regardless, he said Christians need to stand up and take action. "Hebrews 13:3 is very clear that we are to remember those who are imprisoned for their faith just as if we're chained with them," he said. As for the biggest surprises in the ICC's 2026 Global Persecution Index, Wright said Nigeria is top of mind. "In Nigeria, in particular, the rise [of persecution is] in such an unfathomable measure," he said. "Before [2024], we were looking at maybe in a one-year period, 500, 600 people who were killed in Nigeria, and just in the past year, that number has gone to over 2,500 and is increasing quickly." Wright added, "Nigeria represents almost 90% of all persecution around the globe that we can track." Fulani militants are responsible for more than 40% of the attacks, with other Muslim groups also contributing to the horror. People have been driven from their homes, dispersed and killed. Children are often left in the crosshairs of these tragic situations. "I just returned two months ago from two of these government camps in Nigeria looking for myself," Wright said. "These camps were just a mile down the road from where they originally were living ... and many of these children are orphaned because their parents were killed in these attacks." He said the government is often complicit in these events or simply ignores what's unfolding. Wright also highlighted other areas, including parts of South America and countries such as China and India, where the index found rising or concerning levels of persecution. Watch him discuss other persecution hotspots as well. Give to CBN: https://go.cbn.com/un2xC Want more news from a Christian Perspective? Choose to support CBN: https://go.cbn.com/ugWBn CBN News. Because Truth Matters™ Download the free CBN News App: http://cbnnews.com/app SUBSCRIBE to the CBN News Channel for more: http://youtube.com/c/CBNnewsonline/?sub_confirmation=1 SUBSCRIBE to the QuickStart Newsletter by visiting quickstart.news SUBSCRIBE to the Quickstart Podcast. New episodes every morning at 7am: cbn.com/cbnnews/quickstart What's coming up next? Have a look at our program guide: https://www.youtube.com/redirect?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww1.cbn.com%2Fcbnnews%2Fnewschann&redir_token=3Xja-7LE5ZQebEu1fn-B5ib34tN8MTU3OTg4MjMzMkAxNTc5Nzk1OTMy&v=P0mHVeNNfDw&event=video_description CBN features 24-hour TV news from a Christian perspective. The CBN News Channel provides independent news programming to an underserved audience to enlighten, entertain and inspire Christians around the world. Comments below do not necessarily reflect the views of CBN. Share this live feed with your friends and family: https://www.youtube.com/c/CBNnewsonline Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cbnnews/ Like us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CBNNews Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cbnnews/ Contact News Editors: https://www.youtube.com/redirect?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww1.cbn.com%2Fcontact%2Fcontact-&redir_token=3Xja-7LE5ZQebEu1fn-B5ib34tN8MTU3OTg4MjMzMkAxNTc5Nzk1OTMy&v=P0mHVeNNfDw&event=video_description Questions about other CBN programs: Visit WatchCBNNews.com or call (888) 700-7000. Questions about supporting CBN News? Visit JoinCBNNews.com or call (888) 700-7000 for more information. Questions about Helping the Home Front? Call: 800-700-7000 https://www.youtube.com/redirect?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww1.cbn.com%2F700club%2Fhelping-&redir_token=3Xja-7LE5ZQebEu1fn-B5ib34tN8MTU3OTg4MjMzMkAxNTc5Nzk1OTMy&v=P0mHVeNNfDw&event=video_description #breakingnews #politicalnews #christiannews #christian #christianity #church #breakingnews #cbnnews