Condemns genocide against Christians in Nigeria and thanks President for designation of Nigeria as "Country of Particular Concern."

ACR133

ASSEMBLY CONCURRENT RESOLUTION No. 133

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED MARCH 10, 2026

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman� DAWN FANTASIA

District 24 (Morris, Sussex and Warren)

SYNOPSIS

���� Condemns genocide against Christians in Nigeria and
thanks President for designation of Nigeria as �Country of Particular Concern.�

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

A
Concurrent Resolution

condemning the
genocide against Christians in Nigeria
and

thanking
the President for his designation of Nigeria as a �Country of Particular
Concern.�

Whereas,

Nigeria is home to over 92 million Christians who comprise over 40 percent of
Nigeria�s population; and

Whereas,

Since 2009, over 50,000 Christians in Nigeria have been killed, over 19,000
churches have been attacked or destroyed, and over 15 million Christians in
Nigeria have been displaced on the basis of their faith; and

Whereas,

Nigeria is one of the most dangerous countries in the world in which to be a
Christian, as Christians in Nigeria are highly vulnerable to targeted attacks,
discrimination, and oppression; and

Whereas,

Because of this religious persecution, in every year since 2009, the United
States Commission on International Religious Freedom has called for the President
to designate Nigeria as a �Country of Particular Concern,� a status reserved
for countries that engage in or tolerate systematic, ongoing, and egregious
violations of religious freedom; and

Whereas,

In March 2025, New Jersey United States Representative Chris Smith echoed this
call through his introduction of a congressional resolution, H.Res.220, which
urges the United States to designate Nigeria as a �Country of Particular
Concern� due to the religious persecution of Christians in Nigeria; and

Whereas,

Responding to these concerns, on October 31, 2025, President Donald J. Trump
officially designated Nigeria as a �Country of Particular Concern�; and

Whereas,

The United Nations defines genocide as �actions committed with intent to
destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial, or religious
group�; and

Whereas,

The horrifying scope and magnitude of the murder, dismantling of churches, and
physical displacement of Christians in Nigeria committed with the intent to
destroy all signs of Christianity in Nigeria amounts to a genocide; and

Whereas,

Officially recognizing the religious persecution experienced by Christians in
Nigeria as a genocide and designating Nigeria as a �Country of Particular
Concern� are both critical in order to hold the country of Nigeria responsible
on the world stage, prevent further death and destruction, and seek justice for
persecuted Christians in Nigeria; now, therefore,

����
Be It
Resolved
by the General Assembly of the State
of New Jersey (the Senate concurring):

���� 1. The New Jersey Legislature
condemns the religious persecution of Christians in Nigeria as genocide.

���� 2. �The New Jersey Legislature
recognizes and thanks President Donald J. Trump for his designation of Nigeria
as a �Country of Particular Concern.�

���� 3.��� Copies of this
resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the
Clerk of the General Assembly or the Secretary of the Senate to the President
and Vice-President of the United States, the United States Secretary of State,
the Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States Senate, the Majority and
Minority Leaders of the United States House of Representatives, every member of
Congress elected from this State, the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, and
the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in Washington D.C.

STATEMENT

���� This concurrent resolution
condemns the religious persecution of Christians in Nigeria as genocide and thanks
President Donald J. Trump for his designation of Nigeria as a �Country of
Particular Concern.�

���� The nation of Nigeria has a
large Christian population, accounting for roughly half of the nation�s total
population.� Reports by non-governmental organizations, non-profit
organizations, and governmental bodies have revealed the levels of persecution
Christians in Nigeria face.� Intersociety, a Nigerian non-governmental
organization, has reported that since 2009, over 50,000 Christians have been
killed, over 19,000 churches have been attacked or destroyed, and over 15
million Christians in Nigeria have been displaced on the basis of their faith.�
Open Doors International, a non-profit organization dedicated to the support of
persecuted Christians, has found that Nigeria is one of the most dangerous
countries in the world in which to be a Christian, as Christians in Nigeria are
highly vulnerable to targeted attacks, discrimination, and oppression.

���� The religious persecution of
Christians in Nigeria has gained attention in the United States in recent
years.� Every year since 2009, the United States Commission on International
Religious Freedom has recommended that the President designate Nigeria as a
�Country of Particular Concern,� a designation reserved for countries that
engage in and tolerate systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of
religious freedom.� In March 2025, New Jersey Congressman Chris Smith echoed
this call through his introduction of a congressional resolution, H.Res.220,
which urges the United States to designate Nigeria as a �Country of Particular
Concern� due to the religious persecution of Christians in Nigeria.� On October
31, 2025, President Donald J. Trump officially designated Nigeria as a �Country
of Particular Concern.�

���� The scope and magnitude of
religious persecution faced by Christians in Nigeria rises to the level of
genocide, which the United Nations defines as �actions committed with intent to
destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial, or religious
group.�� It is critical to officially recognize the religious persecution of
Christians in Nigeria as a genocide and to designate Nigeria as a �Country of
Particular Concern� in order to hold the country of Nigeria responsible on the
world stage, prevent further death and destruction, and seek justice for
persecuted Christians in Nigeria.