The founder of the private army Blackwater, Erik Prince, requested Pope Leo XIV to provide funding to protect Christians in Nigeria, a country where persecution against this religion by Islamic terrorism is increasingly severe.
In a post on the social network X, Prince stated: "Sir, I have a better idea. Why don't you fund my colleagues so they can protect Nigerian Christians from the Muslims who are massacring them?"
Violence against Christians in Nigeria has been documented by various organizations, which indicate that more Christians are killed for their faith in Nigeria than in any other place in the world.
Erik Prince, fundador de Blackwater.
A report from the 2025 World Watch List by Open Doors revealed that 69% of Christian killings for religious reasons worldwide between October 2023 and September 2024 occurred in Nigeria. The attacks include killings, kidnappings, and destruction of property, and have displaced millions of people.
Erik Prince, a former member of the United States Navy, founded Blackwater in 1997. The company gained notoriety for its involvement in private military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Since then, Prince has promoted the idea of using private contractors for security missions in conflict zones.
Terroristas islámicos.
The genocide of Christians in Nigeria
In several regions of Nigeria, especially in the central and northern parts of the country, Christian communities suffer systematic attacks that include killings, kidnappings, destruction of churches, and theft of property. These assaults have displaced millions of people and caused growing insecurity in rural and urban areas.
The genocide is carried out by terrorist groups such as the Islamic State in West Africa (ISWAP), an affiliate of the Islamic State (ISIS) in the region, which uses extremist tactics such as suicide bombings, ambushes, massacres, and mass kidnappings.
According to reports from various international organizations, more than 7,000 Christians have been killed in Nigeria so far in 2025, a year that has seen a sharp increase in religious persecution. In addition, it is estimated that more than 50,000 have died in the past 14 years, reflecting the gravity of the situation in the African country and the violence by Islamic terrorism.
