The United States government has accused “Fulani ethnic militias” of perpetrating what it described as a “genocide against Christians” in Nigeria — a claim that has drawn sharp rebuttals from the Nigerian government.
In a statement issued by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Washington linked the ongoing violence in parts of Nigeria’s Middle Belt and northern regions to “radical Islamists and Fulani ethnic militias,” describing the killings as “tragic and unacceptable.”
“The ongoing slaughter of thousands of Christians in Nigeria by radical Islamists and Fulani ethnic militias is both tragic and unacceptable. As @POTUS said, the United States stands ready, willing, and able to act,” Rubio stated.
The U.S. position followed President Donald Trump’s announcement on Truth Social that Nigeria had been redesignated as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) — a classification reserved for nations accused of engaging in or tolerating severe violations of religious freedom.
“Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria,” Trump wrote.
“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.”
Trump also disclosed that he had directed Rep. Riley Moore (R-W.Va.), Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), and members of the House Appropriations Committee to investigate the alleged atrocities and report their findings.
“The United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening in Nigeria, and numerous other countries,” Trump said. “We stand ready, willing, and able to save our great Christian population around the world.”
In a swift reaction, Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu rejected the allegations, describing them as a “mischaracterisation” of the country’s complex security challenges.
In a statement issued Saturday, Tinubu emphasized that Nigeria remains a secular democracy with constitutional guarantees of religious freedom and equality.
“Nigeria stands firmly as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty,” he said.
“Since 2023, our administration has maintained an open and active engagement with Christian and Muslim leaders alike and continues to address security challenges which affect citizens across faiths and regions.”
Tinubu maintained that the Nigerian government neither condones nor supports any form of persecution based on faith, stressing that religious tolerance is a core tenet of the country’s national identity.
“The characterisation of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality, nor does it take into consideration the consistent and sincere efforts of the government to safeguard freedom of religion and beliefs for all Nigerians,” he added.
“Religious freedom and tolerance have been a core tenet of our collective identity and shall always remain so.”
The renewed U.S. designation places pressure on Abuja, coming amid years of mounting international concern over attacks attributed to armed herdsmen, Islamist militants, and communal conflicts across Nigeria’s north and Middle Belt.
Analysts say the move could have implications for U.S.-Nigeria relations, especially in areas of military cooperation and humanitarian assistance.
While Washington frames the issue as one of religious persecution, Abuja insists that Nigeria’s security crisis is multifaceted — rooted in competition over land, resources, and governance, rather than faith-based animosity.
Despite these assurances, advocacy groups and church organizations continue to accuse the Nigerian government of downplaying sectarian violence, particularly against Christian communities in Plateau, Benue, and Kaduna States.
As both governments hold their ground, the designation may reignite debate over whether Nigeria’s conflicts are primarily religious, ethnic, or socio-economic in nature — and how the international community should respond.