David Vance SubstackRead More
I think Pope Leo is proving catastrophically inept. We know that he favours open borders and has suicidal empathy for migrants.
Answering questions from journalists in Castel Gandolfo, Pope Leo XIV decries recent measures against migrants in the United States, and he calls for treating people “with humanity and dignity.”
But I had assumed that he would have the strength to speak out in unambiguous defence of Christians being slaughtered by Muslims. Let’s consider what has happened to Christians in Nigeria, for example.
Since 2009, between 50,000 and 100,000 Christians have been killed due to religiously motivated violence, with the most recent estimates indicating over 7,000 Christians killed in 2025 alone—about 35 deaths per day.
The primary perps are Islamist extremist groups such as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province, as well as Fulani militia groups.
Fulani militant attacks on Christian farming communities have resulted in some of the largest massacres in recent years. Fulani militants have repeatedly been identified as responsible for mass killings, abductions, and the burning of churches.
So what has Pope Leo to say on the subject?
“In Nigeria, in certain areas, there is certainly danger for Christians but for all people. Christians and Muslims have been slaughtered. There’s a question of terrorism. There’s a question that has to do a lot with economics, if you will, in control of the lands that they have”
That’s mealy-mouthed at best. Whilst there have been some localised attacks over the decades on Muslims, the overwhelming majority of killings have been by muslims on Christians, even as they prayed. His desire to equivocate is pathetic.
