US Lawmaker Applauds Trump for Declaring Nigeria ‘Country of Particular Concern’

U.S. Congressman Riley Moore has commended President Donald Trump for designating Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” over alleged widespread persecution and killings of Christians.

Trump announced the designation on Friday via his Truth Social account, stating that Christianity faces an “existential threat” in Nigeria, which he attributed to the actions of radical Islamist groups. “Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter,” Trump wrote, adding that the United States “cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening.” He vowed that his administration would act to “save our great Christian population around the world.”

Reacting to the announcement, Moore praised Trump’s move in a post on X, describing it as a demonstration of strong leadership and compassion for persecuted Christians. “Thank you, @POTUS, for your incredible leadership by designating Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern,” he wrote. “You have always been a champion for Christians around the world, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to work with you and Chairman Cole to defend our brothers and sisters in Christ who are being slaughtered by radical Islamists in Nigeria.”

Earlier in October, Moore had urged U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to take diplomatic action against what he called the “systematic persecution and slaughter of Christians” in Nigeria. He cited reports indicating that more than 7,000 Christians had been killed in 2025 and over 19,000 churches attacked or destroyed since 2009. He also alleged that some elements within the Nigerian government might be complicit in certain attacks and pointed to the closure of Christian orphanages and enforcement of strict anti-blasphemy laws in some states.

Moore argued that Nigeria has become “the deadliest place in the world to be a Christian” and urged the suspension of U.S. arms sales to Nigeria until its government shows a tangible commitment to addressing the violence. He also criticized the Biden administration for removing Nigeria from the CPC list, calling the move “a mistake.”

Responding to these allegations, Nigeria’s Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, dismissed the claims as misleading and based on inaccurate data. Speaking on CNN, Idris said that the violence in Nigeria affects both Christians and Muslims, emphasizing that the country remains committed to protecting religious freedom and human rights.

“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,” he said. “These criminals do not target one religion; they attack both Christians and Muslims, especially in the northern part of the country.”

Idris cautioned that promoting narratives of religious genocide could inflame tensions and embolden criminal groups seeking to divide Nigerians along religious lines.