Former United States President Donald Trump has designated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) over alleged persecution and killings of Christians across the country.
Announcing the decision on his Truth Social account on Friday, Trump said Christianity is facing an “existential threat” in Nigeria, claiming that thousands of Christians have been killed by radical Islamist groups in recent years.
“Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter,” Trump wrote.
The former US president said Nigeria has been added to the US State Department’s Countries of Particular Concern list, which identifies nations accused of violating religious freedom on a large scale. The list, according to the State Department’s website, includes countries such as China, Myanmar, North Korea, Russia, and Pakistan.
Trump stated that he had directed US Representatives Riley Moore and Tom Cole, alongside the House Appropriations Committee, to investigate the situation and submit a report to him.
“Nigeria is Africa’s most populous nation and one of its largest oil producers, yet Christians there are being persecuted and murdered for their faith. This cannot continue,” Trump added.
The CPC designation marks a renewed focus on Nigeria’s religious freedom record, an issue that has drawn global attention amid reports of church attacks and sectarian violence in several parts of the country.
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