By Obinna Uballa
American rapper Nicki Minaj has intensified international focus on alleged Christian persecution in Nigeria, issuing a passionate call for urgent intervention during a United Nations event hosted Tuesday by United States Ambassador Mike Waltz.
Minaj, whose recent posts on X amplified the issue globally, said she was invited to speak after her public advocacy drew the attention of the American diplomat.
Opening her remarks, she thanked former U.S. President Donald Trump for “prioritising the crisis” and pushing for stronger global action to protect Nigerian Christians.
Minaj said her music career had exposed her to diverse cultures and beliefs, reinforcing her conviction that religious freedom must be safeguarded everywhere. But across the world, she warned, faith is “under attack in way too many places.”
“In Nigeria, Christians are being targeted, driven from their homes and killed,” she said. “Churches have been burned, families torn apart, and entire communities now live in constant fear simply because of how they pray.”
The rapper stressed that her advocacy was not political: “Protecting Christians in Nigeria is not about taking sides or dividing people. It is about uniting humanity.”
She added that speaking out against injustice was consistent with the values she has upheld throughout her career.
Minaj’s comments come on the heels of Trump’s recent statement designating Nigeria as a future candidate for the U.S. list of Countries of Particular Concern (CPC), a move that could trigger sweeping sanctions.
Trump warned that the United States would cut all aid to Nigeria and could consider military intervention if attacks on Christians continued.
