Bill Maher has accused the global media of ignoring the mass killings of Christians in Nigeria by Islamist groups. Speaking on his HBO show Real Time, Maher said the crisis has been downplayed because it does not involve Jews, claiming the attacks amount to a genocide attempt. He noted that Boko Haram and other Islamist groups have killed more than 100,000 Christians since 2009 and burned over 18,000 churches. “They are literally attempting to wipe out the Christian population of an entire country,” Maher said, questioning why there has been no global protest over the violence.
Republican congresswoman Nancy Mace supported Maher’s point, saying the media has failed to report the scale of the tragedy. Maher added that those unaware of the crisis “live in a bubble” and are relying on unreliable news sources.
Open Doors UK, a Christian charity, confirmed the scale of the violence, reporting that around 150,000 people have been killed in jihadist attacks over the last decade and over 16 million Christians have been forced from their homes. The group warned that the crisis poses an existential threat to peace and stability across sub-Saharan Africa.
Nigeria remains the most dangerous country in the world for Christians, with more believers killed there for their faith than in the rest of the world combined, according to recent research. The White House has said it is working with the State Department to find solutions to end the killings and restore stability in the region.
