Nigerian Government Rejects Trump’s ‘Country of Particular Concern’ Tag

The Federal Government of Nigeria has vehemently rejected the recent declaration by United States President Donald Trump, who alleged widespread killings of Christians and formally designated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” regarding religious freedom.

Dependable NG reports that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through its spokesperson Kimiebi Ebienfa, issued a statement on Saturday asserting that President Trump’s claims “do not reflect the situation on the ground.” The Ministry stressed that Nigerians of all faiths have a long history of living, working, and worshipping together peacefully across the nation. While the Nigerian government acknowledged and appreciated global concern for religious freedom and human rights, it maintained that the specific allegations made by the US President were inaccurate and overly simplistic.

President Trump had announced his decision late on Friday, using a social media post that was later shared on the White House’s official X handle. He cited what he termed an “existential threat” to Christianity in the West African country, alleging that “thousands of Christians are being killed” by “Radical Islamists.” Trump’s post also included figures comparing Christian fatalities in Nigeria to the worldwide total and called on key members of the US Congress to “immediately look into this matter.” The US President concluded by stating, “The United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening in Nigeria.”

However, the Nigerian government’s statement affirmed that under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, the country remains committed to aggressively fighting terrorism, strengthening interfaith harmony, and protecting the lives and constitutional rights of all its citizens, regardless of religious affiliation. The Ministry emphasized that the security challenges in the country are complex and are not solely targeted at one religious group. The government further stressed that it would continue to engage constructively with the Government of the United States to ensure a mutual understanding of regional dynamics and Nigeria’s ongoing, intensive peace and security efforts. This diplomatic clash follows a related development where the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs had also called for greater protection of vulnerable communities in the country.