Award-winning rapper Nicki Minaj has stirred debate after publicly supporting U.S. President, Donald Trump’s claims that Christian communities in Nigeria are facing intensified persecution.
Speaking on Tuesday at a forum hosted by the United States mission to the UN in New York, Minaj said: “In Nigeria, Christians are being targeted. Homes have been destroyed and families separated simply because of how they worship.”
Minaj — who has often spoken about her Christian upbringing — argued that calling attention to the plight of Christians was “not about division, but about defending those suffering from injustice.” She thanked Trump for “highlighting a crisis that deserves global attention.”
Her comments came days after Trump suggested he would consider sending U.S. troops into Nigeria “guns blazing” if the country’s authorities “continue to allow the killing of Christians.”
Officials and analysts dispute claims of a Christian-only crisis
The Nigerian government quickly rejected these assertions, insisting that extremist violence in the country targets everyone, not only Christians.
A senior government representative said extremists “attack all who refuse to accept their violent ideology — Muslims, Christians, and people of no faith.”
Researchers monitoring armed activity in Nigeria also note that many victims of jihadist factions, particularly in the northeast, are Muslim civilians living in areas long affected by insurgency.
Nigeria, home to more than 220 million people, is roughly split between Christians and Muslims. Most attacks occur in the north, where armed groups — from jihadist factions to criminal gangs — routinely strike villages, highways, and schools.
Recent violence heightens nationwide frustration
The latest wave of attacks has deepened public anger.
In north-western Kebbi state, gunmen raided a secondary school this week, killing a teacher and a security guard — both Muslim — before abducting 25 female students. Two of the girls reportedly escaped after several hours in captivity.
In another incident, security forces in Kwara state confirmed that armed men stormed a church during an evening programme in the town of Eruku, killing two worshippers and taking others hostage. Footage circulating online, apparently from the building’s CCTV system, shows panicked congregants scrambling as gunmen entered.
Meanwhile, in the northeast, President Bola Tinubu confirmed that a senior military officer, Brigadier General Musa Uba, was executed by fighters linked to the Islamic State West Africa Province. The army had initially denied he was missing.
Tinubu, calling the recent surge in attacks “distressing,” ordered security agencies to respond with “speed and precision.”
Minaj addresses Nigerian fans and calls for unity
During her remarks, Minaj described Nigeria as “a remarkable nation with strong spiritual traditions,” and gave a nod to her Nigerian fan base — the “Barbz” — saying she admired their resilience.
U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Mike Waltz, praised Minaj for “using her influence to draw attention to atrocities committed against vulnerable communities.”
Right-wing political figures in the U.S. have for months argued that Islamist militant groups in Nigeria are carrying out systematic anti-Christian campaigns — a claim contested by multiple analysts and Nigerian officials who say the reality is far more complex, affecting communities across religious lines.