United States President Donald Trump has declared Nigeria as a ‘country of particular concern’ in response to allegations of a Christian genocide in the country.
Trump announced his decision in a Truth Social post on Friday, which was shared on the White House’s X handle.
According to a publication by the Family Research Council in 2022, to declare a country a “country of particular concern” is an official designation typically made by the US government, primarily the Secretary of State, under specific US laws.
The exact meaning and implications of the designation depend on the specific legislation applied, but it generally indicates that the country engages in activities detrimental to US interests or universal human rights standards.
In the post, the US President wrote, “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.’
“But that is the least of it. When Christians, or any such group, are slaughtered like 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.”
Trump further said that the US is willing to save Christians in Nigeria and other countries from what he described as “atrocities” bedevilling them to save the population around the world.
“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!” his post added.
Recall that a Plateau-based cleric and regional leader of the Church of Christ in Nations, Evangelist Ezekiel Dachomo, had stirred attention with a viral video showing the mass burial of victims of a recent attack in Heipang community near Jos.
Dachomo, in an interview, spoke on the circumstances surrounding the clip, the repeated killings in Plateau communities, government inaction, and his call for global intervention to stop what he insists is the genocide of Christians in the country.
Speaking, the priest said he made the video for record-keeping purposes so that future generations will be able to see how they were terrorised and persecuted.
“The video is also evidence that a Christian genocide is going on in the North. The purpose is to help both present and future generations stand firm in Christ despite persecution and terror. It is also meant to guide them in soul-winning. If they don’t have a record that strengthens their faith, they may give up.
“This is what we are facing, and we have now resorted to self-defence; otherwise, the name of Jesus will not be mentioned again in our land. I want the world to know that we are going through the worst, as Jesus said, ‘You will be persecuted’. We are keeping records of what we are passing through, just as the Bible records what Christians endured.
“The incident happened last Thursday in Heipang, Jos, Plateau State. There is an airport there, and some Muslims have been trying to take control of the place. The village has been attacked several times because of this. On that fateful day, Fulani herdsmen invaded the village and killed 11 people. We rushed to the scene; children were butchered without conscience, yet the Nigerian government denied Christian genocide. We made the video to prove them wrong.
“That same day, they kidnapped the wife of one of our reverends, and she has yet to be released. They are asking us to pay ransom—another way of plundering Christians. If you pay ransom, they may still kill your loved ones. About five people were injured and rushed to the hospital. Also, last Saturday, they attacked a hospital and abducted two ladies who are members of our church.
“Many Christians have relocated to the South-South because of these attacks. We call on Nigerians to pray for us. These killings are too many. They started from Borno, and now they are bringing mercenaries from the far North. They attack and loot our villages, taking away farm produce, and the soldiers do nothing.”
Responding to the allegation, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said that some US lawmakers are relying on inaccurate and misleading data to allege a so-called Christian genocide in Nigeria.
Some US senators recently called for decisive diplomatic action against the Nigerian government over alleged “persecution of Christians”, a claim the Federal Government and several religious leaders have consistently maintained is not driven by religious motives.
Speaking on CNN on Tuesday night, Idris described the claims by some foreign officials as “misleading and unreflective” of Nigeria’s complex security realities.
According to a statement issued by his media aide, Rabiu Ibrahim, the minister reaffirmed that Nigeria remains firmly committed to upholding religious freedom, human rights, the rule of law, and democracy.
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“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.
“Yes, there are Christians being attacked, but these criminals do not target one religion; they attack both Christians and Muslims, especially in the northern part of the country,” Idris said.
The minister warned that promoting such narratives could inadvertently embolden criminal groups whose goal is to incite religious tension and fuel animosity between Christians and Muslims in Nigeria.
