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BREAKING: Trump redesignates Nigeria as ‘Country of Particular Concern’ over Christian killings
US President Donald Trump has once again designated Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” (CPC) following renewed allegations of widespread killings of Christians in the country.
Trump made the announcement on Friday through his Truth Social platform, citing what he described as an “existential threat” to Christianity in Nigeria.
“Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed,” he said, blaming radical Islamist groups for what he called a “mass slaughter.”
“I am hereby making Nigeria a ‘COUNTRY OF PARTICULAR CONCERN’,” Trump declared, adding that “when Christians are slaughtered like is happening in Nigeria (3,100 versus 4,476 worldwide), something must be done.” However, he did not disclose the source of the figures.
The former US president said he would direct Congressmen Riley Moore and Tom Cole, alongside the House Appropriations Committee, to take immediate action on the matter.
Moore, alongside US Senator Ted Cruz, has been leading efforts urging US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to adopt the designation.
A CPC classification is typically issued by the US Secretary of State under the authority of the president and targets countries accused of severe violations of religious freedom.
In September, Cruz introduced a bill proposing targeted sanctions against Nigerian officials accused of enforcing Sharia and blasphemy laws, while also seeking to restore Nigeria’s CPC status.
Nigeria was first designated as a CPC in 2020 during Trump’s first term but was removed from the list under President Joe Biden’s administration.
Calls for Nigeria’s redesignation resurfaced in March after US lawmakers debated new measures to impose sanctions over alleged religious persecution.
Trump’s decision comes despite repeated denials from the Nigerian government. President Bola Tinubu recently dismissed allegations of Christian genocide as “unfounded,” stressing that “no religion is under siege in Nigeria.”
Massad Boulos, Trump’s senior adviser on Arab and African affairs, also countered the genocide narrative, stating that “people of all religions and tribes are victims of terrorist attacks in Nigeria.”
Similarly, Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin rejected claims of a religious war, attributing the country’s violence to broader social and economic issues rather than faith-based conflicts.
When a country is designated as a CPC, the US Congress is notified and may impose non-economic measures to address religious freedom violations. If such measures fail, economic sanctions may follow.
Read Also: Ouattara re-elected for Fourth Term as opposition boycotts polls
The Nigerian government has yet to respond to Trump’s latest move.
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