Photo: Andrew Harnik / Getty Images News / Getty Images
President Donald Trump has declared Nigeria a "Country of Particular Concern," citing what he called the “mass slaughter” of Christians by radical Islamists.
On Friday (October 31), Trump said he made the designation because "Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria."
“Thousands of Christians are being killed,” the president wrote on social media. “Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter. I am hereby making Nigeria a ‘COUNTRY OF PARTICULAR CONCERN.’”
The designation, created under the 1998 International Religious Freedom Act, is typically assigned on the recommendation of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) and the State Department. Trump’s announcement appeared to bypass that process, raising questions about how and when the policy would take effect. If formalized, the label could open the door to sanctions or other diplomatic penalties against Nigeria.
The Nigerian government has long rejected allegations of systematic religious persecution, arguing that violence in the country stems from economic and territorial conflicts, not faith-based targeting. Experts say that while groups such as Boko Haram have carried out attacks on Christians, framing Nigeria’s instability purely along religious lines oversimplifies a broader struggle over land, water, and governance.
Republican lawmakers Riley Moore and Ted Cruz praised Trump’s decision.
“Nigeria must face international pressure and accountability,” Moore said.
Cruz added that he was “deeply gratified” by the move, calling it a long-overdue response to attacks on Christians.
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