Trump Raises Alarm Over Christian Persecution in Nigeria, Calls for Urgent U.S. Congressional Action
U.S. President Donald Trump has declared Nigeria a “country of particular concern,” citing what he described as a genocidal wave of killings targeting Christians in the West African nation.
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| File Photo: Bola Ahmed Tinubu |
“Thousands and thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter,” Trump said, referencing what he called a global crisis of religious persecution.
According to Trump, 3,100 Christians have been killed in Nigeria this year alone, a figure he contrasted against a global death toll of 4,476, underscoring the country's outlier status in religious violence.
While independent figures vary, multiple human rights watchdogs, including Open Doors USA and the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), have previously flagged Nigeria as one of the most dangerous countries in the world for Christians.
Nigeria has consistently ranked at the top of Open Doors’ World Watch List for Christian persecution.
"Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. The United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening there, and in numerous other Countries. We stand ready, willing, and able to save our Great Christian Population around the World!" - President Trump pic.twitter.com/1dSLMr7ApQ
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) November 5, 2025
Trump’s invocation of the “country of particular concern” designation refers to an official classification under the U.S. International Religious Freedom Act, typically reserved for governments that engage in or tolerate “systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom.”
In 2020, Nigeria was placed on the list under the Trump administration but was removed in 2021 by the Biden administration, a move that drew bipartisan criticism.
“The United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening in Nigeria and numerous other countries,” Trump said, directing Congressman Riley Moore and House Appropriations Chair Tom Cole to “immediately look into this matter.”
Trump’s sharp rebuke arrives amid rising tensions in Nigeria’s Middle Belt and northeastern regions, where Islamist militant groups like Boko Haram and ISWAP (Islamic State West Africa Province), as well as heavily armed Fulani militias, have been accused of ethnoreligious violence.
Wow, this is incredible! Look at ALL of these members of Congress speaking together to stand up for persecuted Christians in Nigeria! 🇳🇬
— Sean Nelson (@Sean_ADFIntl) November 5, 2025
I really ENCOURAGE you to read every one of their statements.
America 🇺🇸 STANDS WITH the people of Nigeria against this persecution! pic.twitter.com/efI5VX3A5W
In April 2024, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) recommended returning Nigeria to the CPC list, citing a rise in “state-tolerated” violence and a lack of accountability for mass killings.
But the State Department has so far resisted, arguing that Nigeria’s internal security challenges are complex and not solely rooted in religious persecution.
Critics of Trump’s statement argue that framing the crisis as purely religious oversimplifies ethnic, economic, and political dynamics at play in rural conflict zones.
However, Christian communities, particularly in Benue, Plateau, and Kaduna states — have borne a disproportionate share of the violence, according to both local and international sources.
“We stand ready, willing, and able to save our great Christian population around the world. This is not going to happen — the killing of Christians is not going to continue,” Trump concluded.