United States President Donald Trump has declared Nigeria a “country of particular concern” following growing allegations of widespread violence and persecution targeting Christians across the nation.
Trump made the announcement in a Truth Social post on Friday, which was later shared on the official White House X handle.
In his post, Trump stated, “Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter. I am hereby making Nigeria a ‘country of particular concern.’”
He further urged U.S. lawmakers, including Congressman Riley Moore and House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole, to investigate the situation and report back to him. “The United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening in Nigeria and numerous other countries,” he added.
The designation of a “country of particular concern” is an official U.S. foreign policy measure typically made by the Secretary of State under U.S. laws governing international religious freedom. It identifies nations accused of engaging in or tolerating severe violations of religious rights and can lead to sanctions or diplomatic consequences.
Trump’s move comes after mounting pressure from U.S. legislators. Earlier this month, Congressman Riley Moore called on Secretary of State Marco Rubio to redesignate Nigeria as a country of particular concern and suspend arms sales until the government shows “tangible commitment” to ending the violence.
“Nigeria has become the deadliest place in the world to be a Christian, and the United States cannot stand idly by,” Moore wrote in an October 6 statement. He cited reports suggesting that over 7,000 Christians have been killed in 2025 alone, and more than 19,000 churches have been destroyed since 2009.
Moore also alleged that “corrupt cells within the Nigerian government may be complicit” in some attacks, citing instances where Christian orphanages were closed and children forced into Islamic reeducation.
Similarly, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz recently accused Nigerian officials of “ignoring and even facilitating the mass murder of Christians by Islamist jihadists.”
In response, Nigeria’s Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, dismissed the allegations as “misleading and unreflective” of the country’s realities.
Speaking on CNN and in a statement by his media aide, Rabiu Ibrahim, Idris maintained that Nigeria remains committed to religious freedom and democracy.
“Some of the claims made by officials of the United States are based on faulty data and the assumption that victims of violence are largely Christians,” he said. “These criminals do not target one religion; they attack both Christians and Muslims, especially in the northern part of the country.”
The minister cautioned that spreading such narratives could fuel division and embolden criminal groups seeking to incite religious tension.
Trump first designated Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” in 2020 during his first term, but President Joe Biden later removed the status in 2021—a decision that continues to draw criticism from conservative U.S. lawmakers and advocacy groups.
