By: Chioma Madonna Ndukwu
Trump Labels Nigeria a ‘Country of Particular Concern’ Over Alleged Christian Persecution
The President of the United States, Donald Trump, has officially designated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC), citing what he described as widespread persecution and mass killings of Christians in the country.
The designation, announced on Friday through Trump’s Truth Social account, marks Nigeria’s return to the U.S. State Department’s watchlist of nations accused of violating religious freedom.
“Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter,” Trump wrote.
He alleged that the situation had reached genocidal proportions, calling for urgent international intervention.
According to the U.S. State Department’s documentation, countries on the CPC list are those considered to have engaged in or tolerated “systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom.” Other nations currently on the list include China, North Korea, Russia, Myanmar, and Pakistan.
Trump further disclosed that he had directed key U.S. lawmakers, Representatives Riley Moore and Tom Cole, alongside the House Appropriations Committee, to investigate the situation in Nigeria and report back to him.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation and its largest oil producer, has for years faced recurring violence linked to religious and ethnic tensions, particularly in the Middle Belt and northern regions.
Attacks by extremist groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), as well as conflicts between herders and farmers, have fuelled claims of targeted violence against Christian communities.
The U.S. previously listed Nigeria as a CPC in 2020 under the Trump administration, but it was removed from the list in 2021 by President Joe Biden’s government, a decision that drew criticism from several human rights and faith-based groups.
Trump’s latest action signals renewed diplomatic tension between Washington and Abuja, as Nigeria now faces heightened scrutiny over its handling of religious violence and the protection of minority faith groups.
The Nigerian government is yet to issue an official response to the new designation, though similar past actions by the U.S. have been met with strong denials from Nigerian authorities, who insist that the nation’s conflicts are driven by socio-economic factors rather than religion.
Analysts warn that the move could affect bilateral relations and U.S. aid to Nigeria, depending on how the current administration in Abuja responds to the allegations and addresses the ongoing security challenges.
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