Open Doors has expressed concern about Nigerian Christians living at risk of deadly attacks by Islamist extremists after a graphic video was released showing the brutal execution of four "infidels".
The perpetrators behind the execution are believed to belong to Boko Haram, an Islamist terrorist jihadist organisation that has slaughtered thousands of people across Nigeria and neighbouring countries.
The shocking video shows an armed terrorist dressed in fatigues and speaking in Hausa as he tells onlookers that one of the people being executed is his younger sister.
"She's part of the infidels we will annihilate today," he said, before warning that anyone "who goes against our religion" will share the same fate, including women and children.
"Wherever there is an infidel, we will go and find them out by ourselves and execute them," he said.
Four people in the clip were then executed. Open Doors UK and Ireland said that while it was unclear whether the victims were Christians, Nigerian Christians are "especially vulnerable" to attacks by extremists because they are viewed as infidels.
John Samuel, Open Doors' legal expert for sub-Saharan Africa whose name has been changed for security reasons, said: "Boko Haram extremists have clearly said time and time again that they are waging a jihad against people they call 'infidels' – that is anyone who does not sign up to their extreme interpretation of Islam.
"Some of the people at the top of this list, then, are Christians who are clear targets because of their faith."
Despite the ongoing threat, a controversial resettlement programme by the Nigerian authorities has led to the closure of displacement camps that were sheltering people who fled their homes in the north-east due to violence. These people are now being pushed back home where they risk being attacked again, Samuel said.
"The authorities have offered incentives to returnees, such as food parcels or one-off payments," he said.
"Displaced Christians are very reluctant to return because of ongoing insecurity and unexploded mines planted in their villages. Some Christians who did return were attacked by militants and fled again."
Open Doors researchers visited northern Nigeria earlier this year and found that much of the displacement is being driven by violent attacks on Christian communities and the failure of the authorities to stop them.
Nigeria is ranked sixth on the Open Doors World Watch List 2024, an index of the top 50 countries where Christians face the most extreme persecution for their faith.
