In a move that has sparked diplomatic ripples, the United States under former President Donald Trump’s administration has reportedly redesignated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) over allegations of “genocide” against Christians. The decision, which echoes renewed calls by American lawmakers including Senator Ted Cruz and Representative Riley Moore, accuses Nigerian authorities of failing to protect Christian communities from systematic attacks by extremist groups.
According to reports, Trump was quoted as saying that “Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria,” describing the violence as a “mass slaughter” by radical Islamists. This follows months of lobbying in Washington by conservative Christian groups and U.S. legislators who have repeatedly urged the White House to classify Nigeria as a nation where religious persecution is rampant.
However, the Federal Government of Nigeria has firmly rejected the allegations, describing them as politically motivated and based on faulty data. The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris Malagi, dismissed the genocide claim as “misleading and unsubstantiated,” stressing that the Nigerian conflict is complex, involving criminality, banditry, and communal clashes that affect both Christians and Muslims.
“The Nigerian government takes seriously the protection of every citizen irrespective of faith. It is inaccurate and unfair to label the situation as genocide against Christians when both religious groups have suffered tragic losses due to terrorism and violent extremism,” the Minister stated.
Similarly, the House of Representatives condemned the U.S. action, calling it a misrepresentation of facts that undermines Nigeria’s sovereignty. Lawmakers have urged the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to engage the U.S. government diplomatically and present credible data showing that the violence in Nigeria is not religiously motivated.
Independent analysts also note that while Christian communities have indeed been targeted in some regions, available data does not support the notion of a systematic effort to exterminate them. Reports from the Associated Press and other international agencies show that many victims of violent attacks in Northern Nigeria have been Muslims, indicating that the country’s security crisis is rooted more in terrorism, poverty, and governance issues than religious persecution.
If the U.S. formalizes the CPC designation, Nigeria could face diplomatic and economic consequences, including sanctions, restrictions on defense cooperation, and increased international scrutiny of its human rights record.
For now, Abuja maintains that it is committed to interfaith harmony and the protection of human life, calling on the international community to avoid narratives that deepen divisions or misrepresent the reality on the ground.