International pressure on Nigeria increased on Tuesday as the United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Michael Waltz, and American musician Nicki Minaj raised serious concerns about persistent attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria.
Both speakers highlighted the issue during a United Nations briefing on global religious freedom titled “Combatting Religious Violence and the Killing of Christians in Nigeria.”
Waltz described the widespread killings as “genocide wearing the mask of chaos,” saying recent attacks and kidnappings showed a disturbing trend targeting Christian groups.
He said churches in northern and central Nigeria continued to face violent raids, while families were forced to bury victims killed “for the crime of calling Jesus their Lord.” He also referenced the recent abduction of 25 schoolgirls in Kebbi State, describing it as part of a larger pattern of insecurity.
Citing reports from Open Doors, Waltz said Nigeria accounts for 80 per cent of all recorded violence against Christians worldwide, arguing that the global community must take the situation seriously.
Waltz commended former US President Donald Trump for consistently speaking against the killings, saying Trump’s advocacy “pierced the silence” surrounding the crisis.
Nicki Minaj, who also addressed the UN event, said Christian communities in Nigeria were being “driven from their homes, killed, and forced to live in fear because of how they pray.”
She noted that the problem was global but highlighted Nigeria as one of the worst-hit countries, urging coordinated action to protect vulnerable groups.
Minaj thanked Trump for prioritising the issue at international forums, expressing hope that renewed global attention would lead to stronger protection for persecuted communities.
The comments come days after Trump declared that there was an ongoing “Christian genocide” in Nigeria and suggested the country could be listed as a Country of Particular Concern under US policy.
Nigeria’s Federal Government has rejected such claims, insisting that insecurity is driven by criminality, economic factors, and banditry, not religious persecution. Despite this, US officials continue to express concern over attacks on religious communities.
