President Donald Trump attacked nations for pursuing green energy policies and called climate change 'the greatest con job' in his UNGA speech. Reuters
The United States President Donald Trump has declared Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) over what he described as the mass killing of Christians in the country.
In a statement posted on his Truth Social account on Friday, Trump claimed Christianity faces an “existential threat” in Nigeria, alleging that radical Islamists are behind the violence.
Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter, he wrote.
Trump said the U.S. cannot remain silent while “such atrocities” continue and directed Congressman Riley Moore and House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole to investigate the situation.
I am hereby making Nigeria a ‘country of particular concern.’ But that is the least of it. When Christians, or any such group, are slaughtered like is happening in Nigeria (3,100 versus 4,476 worldwide), something must be done, he stated.
He urged U.S. lawmakers to report their findings and recommend action. The United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening in Nigeria and numerous other countries. We stand ready, willing, and able to save our great Christian population around the world, he added.
The Nigerian government has repeatedly dismissed claims of systematic killings of Christians, describing such allegations as false and divisive.
In September, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said attempts to frame Nigeria’s security challenges as a religious conflict misrepresent the situation.
Portraying Nigeria’s security challenges as a targeted campaign against a single religious group is inaccurate and harmful, he said. The federal government strongly condemns and categorically refutes recent allegations by certain international platforms and online influencers suggesting that terrorists operating in Nigeria are engaged in a systematic genocide against Christians.
Idris noted that extremists have attacked citizens of all faiths, adding that Muslims, Christians, and non-religious Nigerians have all been victims.
Between May 2023 and February 2025, he said, security forces neutralized over 13,500 terrorists and rescued nearly 10,000 hostages. He also highlighted the arrest of top Ansaru leaders and the conviction of more than 700 Boko Haram suspects as evidence of progress in combating terrorism.
These criminals target all who reject their murderous ideology, regardless of faith, the minister added.
During a visit to President Bola Tinubu in Abuja on October 17, Massad Boulos, Senior Adviser to Trump on Arab and African Affairs, also downplayed claims of religious genocide.
Those who know the terrain well know that terrorism has no colour, no religion, and no tribe, Boulos said. He added that extremist groups such as Boko Haram and ISIS have attacked people of all faiths, often killing more Muslims than Christians.
Any loss of life is one too many, and we should work together to end this, he stated.
In response to mounting international attention, the Nigerian Senate on October 14 set up a 12-member ad-hoc committee to investigate claims of Christian persecution and assess their validity.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio instructed the committee to compile a fact-based report to guide Nigeria’s diplomatic engagement.
Our findings must be backed with verifiable facts and statistics, Akpabio said, adding that the Senate would engage with the U.S. Congress to address what it described as misleading narratives about Nigeria’s security situation.
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) said Christian communities have suffered repeated attacks resulting in significant loss of life.
CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, urged the government to strengthen protection for vulnerable communities and ensure justice for victims.
Our concern remains that these cries for justice and protection are too often met with delay or denial, he said.
The association noted that it has consistently documented religiously motivated attacks, collaborated with international partners, and appealed to the International Criminal Court for intervention.
The pain of Christian families torn apart by violence must never be treated as mere statistics, CAN added.
Minister Idris reaffirmed that freedom of religion is guaranteed by Nigeria’s Constitution and emphasized the country’s commitment to human rights and democracy.
It is doubtful that foreign interlopers are aware that the current heads of both the armed forces and the police are Christians, he said, urging international observers and media organizations to act responsibly.
We urge all commentators to support Nigeria’s efforts in combating terrorism and criminality, he concluded.
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