In a post on Truth Social, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he is designating Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern,” citing what he described as an “existential threat” to Christianity in the region.
Trump stated that “thousands of Christians are being killed” in Nigeria, attributing the violence to “radical Islamists.” He claimed that 3,100 Christians had been killed in Nigeria compared to 4,476 worldwide, and called for immediate action.
The president said he has asked Congressman Riley Moore, along with House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole, to investigate the situation and report back to him.
“The United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening in Nigeria, and numerous other countries,” Trump wrote, adding that America “stands ready, willing, and able to save our great Christian population around the world.”
A report by the International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law (Intersociety) states that at least 7,087 Christians were killed in Nigeria during the first 220 days of 2025 — an average of 32 deaths per day. The findings were published on August 10, 2025.
Intersociety’s report also records 7,899 abductions targeting Christians during the same period. The organisation’s chairman, Emeka Umeagbalasi, attributed the violence to 22 jihadist groups operating across the country.
According to Intersociety, since 2009, approximately 185,009 Nigerians have been killed, including 125,009 Christians and 60,000 Muslims described as “liberal Muslims.” The group also reports the destruction of 19,100 churches, the displacement of over 1,100 Christian communities, and the abduction of more than 600 Christian clerics.
Nigeria remains the deadliest country in the world for Christians, according to international religious freedom monitors. The violence is primarily linked to Fulani militants, Boko Haram, and Islamic State West Africa Province.
