United States President Donald Trump on Friday designated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) under the International Religious Freedom Act.
Trump said he designated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern over what he called “Christian genocide” and the systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom in the country.
Pan-Atlantic Kompass reports that the move opens the door for potential U.S. sanctions on Nigeria.
Trump announced his decision in a Truth Social post on Friday, which was shared on the White House’s X handle.
According to a publication by the Family Research Council in 2022, to declare a country a “country of particular concern” is an official designation typically made by the U.S government, primarily the Secretary of State, under specific US laws.
The exact meaning and implications of the designation depend on the specific legislation applied, but it generally indicates that the country engages in activities detrimental to U.S interests or universal human rights standards.
In the post, the U.S President wrote, “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.’
“But that is the least of it. When Christians, or any such group, are slaughtered like is happening in Nigeria (3,100 versus 4,476 Worldwide), something must be done!
“I am asking Congressman Riley Moore, together with Chairman Tom Cole and the House Appropriations Committee, to immediately look into this matter and report back to me.”
Trump further said that the U.S is willing to save Christians in Nigeria and other countries from what he described as “atrocities” bedevilling them to save the population around the world.
“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!” his post added.
Pan-Atlantic Kompass reports that the designation of Nigeria as a country of particular concern came after allegations of Christian genocide in the country had been trending for the past few weeks.
The allegations were amplified after U.S. Senator Ted Cruz had accused Nigerian officials of “ignoring and even facilitating the mass murder of Christians by Islamist jihadists.”
He also claimed that Nigerian Christians were being targeted for their faith and subjected to sharia and blasphemy laws.
Cruz introduced the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act to the U.S Senate, aimed at sanctioning officials deemed responsible.
Similarly, Riley Moore, a U.S Congressman representing West Virginia’s 2nd District, wrote to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, urging him to designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern and suspend arms sales until the government demonstrates a commitment to protecting Christians.
The designation is reserved for nations accused of severe violations of religious freedom. Nigeria was placed on the list in 2020 during Trump’s administration but was removed by former U.S President Joe Biden in 2021.
Pan-Atlantic Kompass recalls that on December 2, 2020, then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo added Nigeria to the CPC roster for the first time, citing the government’s tolerance of atrocities by groups like Boko Haram and Fulani militants.
Nigeria became the first secular democracy to earn the designation, joining violators like China and Iran.
