The President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, has directed an urgent congressional investigation into reports of what he described as a “Christian genocide” in Nigeria.
In a statement posted on his Truth Social account on Friday evening, President Trump said Christianity in Nigeria faces “an existential threat,” alleging that thousands of Christians have been killed in targeted violence attributed to radical Islamist groups.
“Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter.”
Trump announced that he is designating Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern,” a classification used under U.S. law for nations accused of severe violations of religious freedom. Although largely symbolic in the immediate term, the designation typically precedes potential sanctions or diplomatic pressure.
Citing reported figures of 3,100 Christians killed in Nigeria compared to 4,476 worldwide, he insisted urgent action was needed to halt the killings.
“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… something must be done!” Trump wrote.
The president directed Congressman Riley Moore, House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole, and other lawmakers to investigate the situation and brief him “immediately.”
“The United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening in Nigeria, and numerous other countries,” he stated. “We stand ready, willing, and able to save our great Christian population around the world!”
The Nigerian government has not yet responded to the statement as of press time. Religious violence and farmer-herder conflicts—often driven by land disputes, banditry, and insurgency—have long been a source of tension in parts of Nigeria, with various international rights groups issuing differing accounts over the years regarding the nature and drivers of the violence.
The U.S. previously designated Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern in 2020 during Trump’s first term, but the Biden administration later removed the designation in 2021, drawing criticism from religious freedom advocates.
Further details on the scope and timeline of the new congressional probe are expected in the coming days.
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