Nicki Minaj, Nigerians Divided On Trump’s ‘Country Of Particular Concern’ Tag

American rapper, Onika Maraj, popularly known as Nicki Minaj, has President Donald Trump’s designation of Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” over alleged persecution of Christians.

Trump announced in a post on his Truth Social platform on Friday that Christianity in Nigeria faces an existential threat due to killings allegedly carried out by radical Islamists.

Trump, in a post on Truth Social on Friday, declared that “Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter.”

He further stated, “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!”

The former president further declared that the United States “cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening,” and pledged that Washington would “stand ready, willing, and able to save our great Christian population around the world.”

Reacting to the announcement on Saturday via X, Nicki Minaj said Trump’s decision made her reflect on the privilege of religious freedom in the United States.

“Reading this made me feel a deep sense of gratitude. We live in a country where we can freely worship God. No group should ever be persecuted for practising their religion. We don’t have to share the same beliefs in order for us to respect each other,” she wrote.

The award-winning rapper further described global religious persecution as a humanitarian crisis, stressing that it was dangerous for the world to ignore such abuses.

“Numerous countries all around the world are being affected by this horror & it’s dangerous to pretend we don’t notice. Thank you to The President & his team for taking this seriously. God bless every persecuted Christian. Let’s remember to lift them up in prayer,” she added.

The U.S. “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) designation is reserved for nations accused of severe violations of religious freedom.

NIGERIANS REACT

The designation has also generated reactions on social media from Nigerians.

Within 24 hours of Trump’s announcement, the Nigerian government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, expressed its commitment to addressing the threats of violent extremism.

The ministry’s spokesperson, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, said in a statement that “We remain committed in our resolve to tackle the violent extremism that is fuelled by special interests who have helped drive such decay and division in countries across the intersecting West African and Sahel regions.”

On social media, the reactions were mixed.

While some described the U.S. stance as overdue, others dismissed it as driven by political or economic interests.

An X user identified as Olu (@Towmeelee) acknowledged that killings of Christians in northern Nigeria had persisted but alleged that the U.S. was pursuing its own agenda.

He wrote, “It’s on record that the US have openly admitted either funded or created terrorist groups like ISIS, Al-Qaeda & even Boko Haram.

“The present Syrian president was until recently a vicious terrorist whom the US declared wanted & had a bounty placed on his head. A couple of weeks ago, he was at the White House taking pictures and shaking hands with Marco Rubio.

“Yes, there had been systemic Christian killings in Northern Nigeria which was further exacerbated by the phenomenally foolish decision of Nigerians to elect @MBuhari, a man who had publicly declared his wish for sharia law to be predominant all over Nigeria…but as a Nigerian, one must be aware that the US involvement is not borne out of love or concern for Nigerian Christians, it goes way beyond that.

“Afghanistan, Libya, Iraq & even Syria…we know how the story ended after the US’s involvement. We should all be very careful what we wish for.”

Human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, argued that Nigeria’s political class has long exploited religion and insecurity for personal gain.

Effiong stated, “America wants to steal our resources?. Has that not been what the criminals that have been ruling (ruining) Nigeria since 1960 have been doing?

“America wants to profit from insecurity in Nigeria, right? Are politicians and political office holders not profiting from the insecurity in Nigeria?

“America wants to divide Nigerians along religious lines, right? Hasn’t that been the whole agenda of the APC from Buhari to Tinubu?

“If you remove ethnic and religious politics from the equation, what will politicians in Nigeria across party lines, especially those in the APC, campaign on?

“A government that openly associates with terrorists and refuses to bring murderers to justice has no moral authority to accuse a foreign power of interference.

“America is not our saviour, but the Nigerian is the problem.”

Reacting, one @IamAhmedOlulu argued that portraying the Nigerian government as benefiting from insecurity or promoting religious division was misleading.

He said such narratives weaken national unity and embolden actors who thrive on chaos.

According to him, “It is false to say that the government ‘associates with terrorists.’ In fact, Nigeria has worked closely with the United Nations, ECOWAS, and international partners to strengthen counterterrorism operations and promote deradicalisation programs while ensuring justice through due process.

“On the issue of religion and ethnicity, President Tinubu’s cabinet is one of the most diverse in Nigeria’s history, cutting across faith, ethnicity, and region — a deliberate step to foster inclusion and national unity.

“While the United States and other partners have their interests, Nigeria will not allow any foreign power to define its security priorities or dictate its internal affairs. Our sovereignty is non-negotiable, and our security policies are shaped by Nigerian realities, not external influence.”

Social media critic @DanielRegha questioned Trump’s emphasis on “Radical Islamists,” warning that such a phrase creates the impression that Muslims are not also victims of violence.

He wrote, “Now let’s be clear, no one is disputing the fact that Christians are being killed, but when it’s put that way, it gives the impression that Muslims (and people of other faiths) in the country are not being affected to a large degree.

“Mosques have been invaded severally times, Muslims harmed, and communities where people live destroyed. Christians are not the only ones suffering, this act is committed by bandits across the nation, and therefore should be addressed as an act of terrorism, rather than pin it on one group, religion, or region.”

A commentator identified as Lannister Aspiration described Trump’s designation as a justified reflection of Nigeria’s deepening violence.

“The Middle Belt has become the battleground of this bloodbath—Yes, Massacre Spanning from the old Plateau (now Plateau and Nasarawa) and former Gongola (now Adamawa and Taraba) states, along with Niger, Kwara, Kogi, Benue, and the southern parts of Kaduna, Bauchi, Kebbi, Gombe, Yobe, and Borno,” said the user.

Similarly, another X user, Neon Hustle, lamented that Muslims in northern communities also face relentless violence.

He wrote, “Their blood soaks the same soil as their Christian neighbours. Their widows wail in the same tongue of grief. Yet every headline, every prayer chain, every global outcry fixates on Christian victims only. As if the bullets ask for baptismal certificates before they fire. Why the selective mourning? Why the half-truths dressed as solidarity?”

Former presidential media aide, Ishaq Samaila, attributed Trump’s remarks to the influence of religious extremists attempting to stir division.

He posted, “By the time the religious bigots realise what they have done to our country, it may be too late for regret. This is not right.

“Nigeria is not in a religious war or genocide; we are confronting insecurity that demands careful and targeted solutions. Hurting innocent Nigerians will only deepen our pain. Western influence won’t bring peace if it fuels division. We must stand together against violence, not against each other.”

Another presidential aide, Bashir Ahmad, said the U.S. decision could complicate Nigeria’s counterterrorism efforts and restrict access to critical defence supplies.

He wrote, “Finally, some of our own countrymen, with the help of certain U.S. officials, have landed us in this mess. Nigeria has almost solely relied on the United States in its fight against terrorism, purchasing the majority of its sophisticated weapons from them.

“Now, with the new sanctions, how are we supposed to effectively confront the very same terrorists committing these atrocities?”