By Abiola Olawale
United States President Donald Trump on Friday announced his decision to designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) under the International Religious Freedom Act.
Trump said he decided to designate Nigeria as a country of particular concern over what he called “Christian genocide.”
The US President made this known on his official Truth Social post on Friday, which was shared on the White House’s X handle.
In the post, Trump wrote, “Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. 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. When Christians, or any such group, are slaughtered like is happening in Nigeria (3,100 versus 4,476 Worldwide), something must be done!
“I am asking Congressman Riley Moore, together with Chairman Tom Cole and the House Appropriations Committee, to immediately look into this matter and report back to me.
“The United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening in Nigeria, and numerous other Countries. We stand ready, willing, and able to save our Great Christian population around the World!.”
The New Diplomat reports that the development comes following allegations of Christian genocide in Nigeria.
The allegations made the headlines after a US Senator, Ted Cruz, had accused Nigerian officials of “ignoring and even facilitating the mass murder of Christians by Islamist jihadists.”
He also claimed that Nigerian Christians were being targeted for their faith and subjected to sharia and blasphemy laws.
Cruz introduced the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act to the U.S Senate, aimed at sanctioning officials deemed responsible.