United States President Donald Trump has declared Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” over alleged widespread killings of Christians.

In a statement posted on his social media platform, Truth Social, on Friday, Trump warned that Christianity faces an “existential threat” in Nigeria, describing the reported killings as 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.

He added that the United States “cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening” and directed Congressman Riley Moore and House Appropriations Committee Chairman, Tom Cole, to investigate the matter.

“I am hereby making Nigeria a ‘Country of Particular Concern.’ 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.

“The United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening in Nigeria and numerous other countries. We stand ready, willing, and able to save our great Christian population around the world,” Trump wrote.

Nigeria Dismisses Claims of Religious Genocide

The Federal Government has dismissed repeated claims of a systematic genocide against Christians in the country, describing such allegations as “false, baseless, despicable, and divisive.”

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mr. Mohammed Idris, said portraying Nigeria’s insecurity as a religious conflict misrepresented the country’s realities.

“Portraying Nigeria’s security challenges as a targeted campaign against a single religious group is inaccurate and harmful,” he said.

“The Federal Government strongly condemns and categorically refutes recent allegations by certain international platforms and online influencers suggesting that terrorists operating in Nigeria are engaged in a systematic genocide against Christians.”

Idris noted that extremists had attacked Nigerians of all faiths, stressing that Muslims, Christians, and non-religious citizens had suffered alike.

Between May 2023 and February 2025, he said, security forces neutralised more than 13,500 terrorists and rescued nearly 10,000 hostages. He added that the recent capture of top Ansaru leaders and over 700 convictions of Boko Haram suspects reflected progress in the fight against terrorism.

“These criminals target all who reject their murderous ideology, regardless of faith,” the minister stated.

On October 17, Mr. Massad Boulos, Senior Adviser to President Trump on Arab and African Affairs, visited President Bola Tinubu in Abuja, where he dismissed claims of a targeted genocide.

“Those who know the terrain well know that terrorism has no colour, no religion, and no tribe,” Boulos said, acknowledging that extremist groups such as Boko Haram and ISIS had killed people of all faiths, often attacking Muslims more than Christians.

“Any loss of life is one too many, and we should work together to end this,” he added.

Earlier, on October 14, the Nigerian Senate constituted a 12-member ad hoc committee to review international concerns about alleged persecution of Christians.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio directed the committee to produce a fact-based position paper to guide Nigeria’s diplomatic response.

“Our findings must be backed with verifiable facts and statistics,” Akpabio said.

The Senate also resolved to engage with the U.S. Congress to correct what it described as “misleading narratives” about Nigeria’s security situation.

Meanwhile, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) expressed concern that Christian communities had suffered multiple attacks resulting in loss of lives.

CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, urged the government to intensify efforts to protect citizens and bring perpetrators to justice.

“Our concern remains that these cries for justice and protection are too often met with delay or denial,” he said.

The Association said it had consistently documented religiously motivated attacks, collaborated with international partners, and petitioned the International Criminal Court (ICC) for intervention.

“The pain of Christian families torn apart by violence must never be treated as mere statistics,” CAN added.

Minister Idris reiterated that freedom of religion is guaranteed under Nigeria’s Constitution and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to human rights and democracy.

“It is doubtful that foreign interlopers are aware that the current heads of both the armed forces and the police are Christians,” he said, urging international observers and media platforms to act responsibly and avoid sensationalism.

“We urge all commentators to support Nigeria’s efforts in combating terrorism and criminality,” he added.