United States President Donald Trump has again alleged that Christians in Nigeria are being targeted in widespread killings, insisting that the situation poses a direct threat to the survival of Christianity in the country.
In a video message posted on the White House’s official X account on Wednesday, Trump said “thousands” of Christians had been killed in recent years, blaming the violence on what he described as “radical Islamist” groups.
“Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria,” he said. “Thousands and thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter.”
Trump announced that he had designated Nigeria a “country of particular concern” under US law, saying the classification was based on documented patterns of religious persecution.
“When Christians or any group is being slaughtered like what is happening in Nigeria, something must be done,” he said, adding that he had asked members of the US Congress, including Congressman Riley Moore and House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole, to urgently investigate and respond to the situation.
He added, “The United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening. We are prepared to defend Christian populations around the world. The killing of Christians is not going to continue.”
The president had earlier suggested that the US military could intervene if the alleged killings are not addressed by the Nigerian government.
What the designation implies
The “country of particular concern” designation is a formal category in US foreign policy applied when a government is considered to be permitting or failing to stop severe violations of religious freedom. The designation can trigger sanctions or other diplomatic measures.
Nigeria denies claim
The Nigerian government has rejected the characterisation. In a statement issued by President Bola Tinubu on November 1, the government said Nigeria “remains a democracy where religious freedom is guaranteed,” adding that violence in the country affects citizens “across all regions and faiths.”
The statement maintained that portraying Nigeria as religiously intolerant “does not align with the country’s history or present reality,” stressing that Christians and Muslims have coexisted for generations and continue to do so.
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