U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz and rapper Nicki Minaj have joined forces to condemn Christian persecution in Nigeria.
Africa’s most populous nation has drawn intense international scrutiny and scorn for its ongoing campaign of targeted attacks against Christians.
At a U.N. event highlighting the atrocities in Nigeria, Ms. Minaj said she wasn’t picking sides but was speaking out against injustice.
“Religious freedom means we can all sing our faith,” she said.
Ms. Minaj, whose real name is Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty, also thanked President Trump for “prioritizing this issue and for his leadership on the global stage in calling for urgent action to defend Christians in Nigeria.”
Mr. Trump threatened military action if Nigeria fails to stop the killing of Christians. He has said that the U.S. military would go in “guns-a-blazing” to “completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities.”
At the event, Mr. Waltz commended Ms. Minaj for using her platform as an entertainer to spotlight the crisis in Nigeria.
“She steps onto this world stage not as a celebrity, but a witness,” he said.
The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law reports tens of thousands of Christians have been killed and abducted between 2009 and 2023.
Nigeria, which is roughly split between Muslims and Christians, has seen bursts of violence, attributed to ethnic divisions, conflict over scarce resources, corruption and a failure to prosecute attackers.
Many human rights experts say that most victims have been Muslims, especially targeted by the extremist Islamist armed group Boko Haram.
Millions of Nigerians are looking toward Western nations for intervention, Rev. Gabriel Makan of Nigeria said at the U.N. event, adding that some naysayers benefit from the persecutions.
“This is why we are crying out for intervention, because the violence is reducing the integrity and nobility of our nation,” he said.
Mr. Makan called on the Nigerian government to humble itself and accept help coming from a stronger ally.
In early November, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that the Department of Defense is preparing for action.
“Either the Nigerian Government protects Christians, or we will kill the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities,” he said.
Mr. Trump announced in late October that he was designating Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” due to Christian persecution.
The office of the Nigerian president said on social media: “Terrorists attack all who reject their murderous ideology — Muslims, Christians, and those of no faith alike.”
