The Federal Government of Nigeria has formally rejected United States President Donald Trump’s declaration of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” over allegations of religious persecution, stating that his claims “do not reflect the situation on the ground.”
The response followed President Trump’s Friday statement on his Truth Social platform where he described what he termed a “mass slaughter” of Christians in Nigeria.
In his social media post, President Trump had declared, “Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter.”
He added that the United States “cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening” and announced, “I am hereby making Nigeria a ‘country of particular concern.’ But that is the least of it. When Christians, or any such group, is slaughtered like is happening in Nigeria (3,100 versus 4,476 Worldwide), something must be done!”
The US President directed Congressman Riley Moore and House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole to investigate the matter, stating, “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!”
In a counter response, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja, the Nigerian government responded by emphasising the nation’s tradition of interfaith harmony. “Nigerians of all faiths have long lived, worked, and worshipped together peacefully,” the statement read.
The statement, signed by Ministry spokesperson, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, represents Nigeria’s official diplomatic response to what it perceives as mischaracterisation of its religious and security situation, while maintaining its commitment to bilateral engagement with the United States.
It reaffirmed the government’s commitment under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to “fighting terrorism, strengthening interfaith harmony, and protecting the lives and rights of all its people.”
The statement read in full:
“The Federal Government of Nigeria notes the recent remarks by U.S. President Donald J. Trump alleging large-scale killings of Christians in Nigeria and calling for the countryโs designation as a โCountry of Particular Concern.โ
“While Nigeria appreciates global concern for human rights and religious freedom, these claims do not reflect the situation on the ground. Nigerians of all faiths have long lived, worked, and worshipped together peacefully.
“Under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nigeria remains committed to fighting terrorism, strengthening interfaith harmony, and protecting the lives and rights of all its people.
“Nigeria will continue to engage constructively with the Government of the United States to deepen mutual understanding of regional dynamics and the countryโs ongoing peace and security efforts.”
The government’s position continues its earlier stance from September, when Information Minister Mohammed Idris described similar claims as “false, baseless, despicable, and divisive.” Minister Idris had stated then that “portraying Nigeria’s security challenges as a targeted campaign against a single religious group is inaccurate and harmful,” adding that “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.”
The current diplomatic exchange comes weeks after President Trump’s own senior adviser on Arab and African Affairs, Massad Boulos, visited Abuja and expressed a different perspective from his principal. Following a meeting with President Tinubu on October 17, Boulos had noted that “those who know the terrain well know that terrorism has no colour, no religion, and no tribe.” He acknowledged that extremist groups “have killed people of all faiths, often attacking Muslims more than Christians,” concluding that “any loss of life is one too many, and we should work together to end this.”
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