Trump designates Nigeria as 'country of particular concern'

"Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter. I am hereby making Nigeria a country of particular concern," Trump wrote.

According to him, 3,100 Christians have been killed in Nigeria, making urgent action necessary.

The President added that he has instructed Congressmen Riley Moore, Tom Cole, and the House Appropriations Committee to address this issue immediately and report back to him.

"The United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening in Nigeria and numerous other countries. We stand ready, willing, and able to save our great Christian population around the world!" Trump added.

What is happening in Nigeria

In Nigeria, Christians are facing one of the largest waves of persecution in the world. According to the European Parliament, between 2019 and 2023, nearly 17,000 Christians were killed in targeted attacks, and in 2025 alone, over 7,000 have already lost their lives in the first seven months.

The destruction of church infrastructure has also reached catastrophic levels: since the beginning of the Boko Haram insurgency in 2009, about 19,100 Christian churches have been destroyed or severely damaged, averaging roughly three churches per day.

Extremist groups, including the Islamic State West Africa Province and Boko Haram, operate mainly in the northern and central states of the country, where they deliberately attack Christian communities, kidnap pastors, set fires, and carry out killings.

These actions have caused large-scale internal displacement, forcing Christians to leave their homes and churches.

Earlier this year, in June, an armed group attacked a village in Nigeria, resulting in over 100 deaths.