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By Tracy Moses
United States President Donald Trump has designated Nigeria as a “country of particular concern,” citing what he described as an “existential threat” to Christians in the West African nation.
Trump made the announcement on Friday through a post on his Truth Social platform, later shared on the official White House X (formerly Twitter) handle. The president alleged that thousands of Christians in Nigeria have been killed by “radical Islamists,” calling on the U.S. Congress to investigate what he termed a “mass slaughter.”
“Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter,” Trump wrote. “I am hereby making Nigeria a ‘country of particular concern.’”
He added: “But that is the least of it. When Christians, or any such group are slaughtered as is happening in Nigeria (3,100 versus 4,476 worldwide), something must be done! I am asking Congressman Riley Moore, together with Chairman Tom Cole and the House Appropriations Committee, to immediately look into this matter and report back to me.”
Trump further stated that the U.S. “cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening in Nigeria and numerous other countries,” stressing that America remains “ready, willing, and able to save our great Christian population around the world.”
The designation of a “country of particular concern” (CPC) is an official U.S. government classification, typically made by the Secretary of State under the International Religious Freedom Act. It applies to nations found to be engaging in, or tolerating, “severe violations of religious freedom.”
According to a 2022 report by the Family Research Council, countries placed on the CPC list may face diplomatic pressure, targeted sanctions, or restrictions on certain forms of assistance, depending on the nature of the violations identified.
Trump’s latest statement echoes long-standing concerns expressed by some U.S. lawmakers and advocacy groups who have accused Nigeria’s government of failing to protect Christian communities from attacks, particularly in the northern and central regions.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, is almost evenly split between a Muslim-majority north and a largely Christian south. For more than a decade, the country’s northeast has been ravaged by jihadist insurgencies led by Boko Haram and its offshoot, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), responsible for tens of thousands of deaths and the displacement of millions.
However, violence in Nigeria extends beyond religion. Large parts of the northwest and central regions are plagued by criminal gangs known locally as “bandits,” who attack villages, loot property, and kidnap residents for ransom. Experts note that many of these assaults have economic rather than religious motivations, rooted in competition over land, grazing routes, and scarce resources.
While Trump’s declaration may galvanize international attention, analysts warn that framing Nigeria’s multifaceted insecurity solely through a religious lens risks oversimplifying the complex dynamics of conflict in the country.
The Nigerian government has consistently rejected claims of an ongoing “Christian genocide,” insisting that insecurity affects citizens of all faiths and regions. Officials have instead called for global support to strengthen counterterrorism operations, improve policing, and address the socioeconomic factors driving violence.
Trump’s remarks, nonetheless, are expected to reignite debate in Washington about U.S. foreign policy toward Nigeria, Africa’s largest democracy and one of its key strategic partners.