Donald Trump has mentioned he’s designating Nigeria a “country of particular concern” as “thousands of Christians” are being killed there.
Posting on Fact Social, he mentioned radical Islamists are committing “mass slaughter” and Christianity is “facing an existential threat” within the West African nation.
The US president mentioned he was asking officers to “immediately look into this matter, and report back to me”.
Mr Trump quoted figures suggesting 3,100 Christians had been killed in Nigeria, however didn’t state any supply for the numbers or timeframe.
He acknowledged: “We stand ready, willing, and able to save our Great Christian population around the World!”
Nigeria now joins North Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Pakistan and China on a listing of nations “of particular concern” resulting from violations of spiritual freedom.
The transfer is one step earlier than potential sanctions – which may imply a ban on all non-humanitarian assist.
The Nigerian authorities has vehemently rejected the claims. Analysts have mentioned that, whereas Christians are amongst these focused, the vast majority of victims of armed teams are Muslims within the nation’s Muslim-majority north, the place essentially the most assaults happen.
Mr Trump’s transfer follows efforts by Republican senator Ted Cruz to get fellow evangelical Christians to foyer Congress over claims of “Christian mass murder” in Nigeria.
Boko Haram – which kidnapped greater than 270 schoolgirls in 2014 – is the primary group cited in earlier warnings by US and worldwide governments.
The group has dedicated “egregious violations of religious freedom”, in keeping with a 2021 report by the bipartisan US Fee on Worldwide Spiritual Freedom.
It mentioned greater than 37,000 individuals had been killed by Islamist teams in Nigeria since 2011.
Church buildings and Christian neighbourhoods have been focused prior to now, however specialists say Muslims are the commonest victims of Boko Haram assaults, which routinely goal the police, army and authorities.
Different teams working mentioned to be working within the nation embody Boko Haram offshoot Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP).
About half of Nigeria’s inhabitants is estimated to be Muslim, who principally reside within the north, with roughly the opposite half following Christianity.
US travellers are at present urged to “reconsider” journey to Nigeria resulting from a menace of terrorism, crime, kidnapping and armed gangs. The UK advises its residents alongside related traces.
