By: Ojay Matthew
The United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Michael Waltz, and American rapper Nicki Minaj, on Tuesday, raised fresh concerns over Nigeria’s worsening security situation during a high-level UN event dedicated to global religious freedom.
The forum, titled “Combating Religious Violence and the Killing of Christians in Nigeria,” spotlighted recurring attacks on Christian communities and the broader implications for religious liberty.
In his address, Waltz described the violence in parts of Nigeria as “genocide wearing the mask of chaos.” He cited attacks in the Middle Belt and northern regions, referencing church burnings, killings of worshippers, and the targeting of pastors.
“In the Middle Belt and in the North, churches burn, mothers bury their children for the crime of singing Amazing Grace. Pastors have been beheaded for preaching the Sermon on the Mount. Entire villages wake up to gunfire simply because they call Jesus their Lord,” he said.
“This is not random violence. This is genocide wearing the mask of chaos.”
Waltz also referenced the recent kidnapping of schoolgirls, saying, “Just yesterday, 25 little girls were ripped out of their school,” and cited figures from Open Doors, noting that “80 percent of global attacks on Christians occur in Nigeria.”
The US envoy commended former President Donald Trump for repeatedly condemning the killings, crediting him with elevating the issue on the global stage.
“President Trump has made the persecuted church his priority like no other president before him,” Waltz said, recalling Trump’s 2019 UN summit on religious liberty and the establishment of a dedicated Religious Liberty Commission. “He has reminded the world that protecting Christians is a moral duty.”
Minaj, who also spoke at the event, said the violence in Nigeria reflects a wider global threat to freedom of belief.
“In Nigeria, Christians are being targeted, driven from their homes, and killed. Churches have been burned, families torn apart, and entire communities live in fear simply because of how they pray,” she said.
She added that religious persecution remains a worldwide problem, calling for urgent collective action. Minaj thanked Trump for “prioritising this issue” and supporting efforts to defend religious freedom in Nigeria and beyond.
The event took place shortly after Trump declared that a “Christian genocide” was underway in Nigeria and announced plans to label the country a “Country of Particular Concern.”
The Nigerian government has repeatedly rejected claims of religious persecution, insisting the violence stems from criminality and socioeconomic challenges rather than faith-based motives. Despite this stance, US officials continue to express alarm over attacks on Christian communities.
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