President Donald Trump announced on Friday via Truth Social that Nigeria has been added to the U.S. “Countries of Particular Concern” list due to escalating violence against Christians.
He described Christianity in Nigeria as facing an existential threat, attributing thousands of deaths to radical Islamist groups.
Nigeria, Africa’s largest oil producer and most populous country, joins nations like China, Myanmar, North Korea, Russia, and Pakistan on the list for alleged religious freedom violations.
President Trump has tasked U.S. Representatives Riley Moore and Tom Cole, alongside the House Appropriations Committee, with investigating the situation and reporting back to him.
The move follows recent U.S. legislative attention, including a bill introduced by Senator Ted Cruz to protect persecuted Christians in Nigeria. Representative Riley Moore has called on Secretary of State Marco Rubio to take urgent diplomatic measures against the Nigerian government for what he labeled systematic persecution.
U.S. comedian and commentator Bill Maher also highlighted the targeted killings of Christians by terrorist groups in Nigeria.
In response, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, on September 30, dismissed allegations of religious genocide as baseless, emphasizing Nigeria’s foundation on faith and the resilience of its people.
