Thirty-one members of the U.S. Congress have praised President Donald Trump for classifying Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern due to the alleged persecution of Christians.
They described the move as a necessary step to confront what they called “a growing Christian genocide” in Africa’s most populous nation.
The commendations were contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by House Values Action Team Chairman Rep. Robert Aderholt.
The statement was seen by our correspondent on Thursday.
In the statement, the lawmakers said the Trump-led action gave “hope to the people of Nigeria” and signalled a strong US commitment to defending religious freedom globally.
“President Trump’s commitment to end the Christian genocide in Nigeria and his designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern gives hope to the people of Nigeria. This persecution of Christians must end,” Congressman Aderholt said
He added that “terrorist groups in Nigeria” had “killed thousands of believers annually,” stressing that the United States must “lead in confronting this violence” and defend people of faith around the world.
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer commended Trump’s stance, saying, “God bless President Trump for standing up and protecting Christians around the globe. The United States finally has a leader unafraid to do what’s right.”
Also, the Grand Old Party Chair, Lisa McClain, described the situation in Nigeria as “a moral outrage and a crime against humanity,” while Rep. Josh Brecheen, Mary Miller, and Mark Alford expressed support for sanctions and stronger international pressure on those responsible for religious attacks.
Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Africa Subcommittee, Rep. Chris Smith, noted that Trump’s decision restored the 2020 CPC designation that was “unjustifiably” lifted by the Biden administration.
He said the action was “a powerful step forward in holding the Nigerian government accountable for its complicity in the unchecked murder, rape, and torture of Christians.”
Other lawmakers, including Don Bacon, Andy Biggs, Gus Bilirakis, and Tim Walberg, echoed similar sentiments, urging Washington to use “every diplomatic and strategic tool” to protect Nigerian Christians and push for accountability.
Recall that Trump, in a post on his Truth Social platform on Friday, claimed that Christianity was facing an “existential threat” in Nigeria, blaming radical Islamists for the widespread violence.
“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.
The President added that the United States “cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening” and vowed that his administration would “stand ready, willing, and able to save our great Christian population around the world.”
Also praising Trump’s decision, Rep. Riley Moore, one of the voices that presented the matter before the American government, described the move as a demonstration of strong leadership and a commitment to protecting persecuted Christians.
“I am thankful President Trump made the decision to designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern, and that the President asked me to lead the investigation into this horrific persecution in Congress.
“We can no longer turn a blind eye to the bloodshed of our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. This horrible persecution will end thanks to President Trump,” he said.
The bipartisan chorus of support reflects growing congressional attention to reports of religious violence in Nigeria.
However, the Federal Government has consistently dismissed the US’s allegations of religious freedom violations in Nigeria.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, in a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, described the allegations as a result of a flawed understanding of the nation’s security realities.
He said that the U.S. position was influenced by “misrepresentation and misinformation” regarding Nigeria’s internal security situation.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu had previously maintained that Nigeria remains a constitutional democracy that protects religious freedom.
In a statement issued on November 1, Tinubu said Nigeria “stands firmly as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty,” affirming that since 2023, the administration had engaged both Christian and Muslim leaders while addressing security challenges affecting citizens “across faiths and regions.”
Tinubu stated that the portrayal of Nigeria as religiously intolerant “does not reflect our national reality,” noting that religious freedom and tolerance “have been a core tenet of our collective identity and shall always remain so.”
