The United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Michael Waltz, and American rapper Nicki Minaj, on Tuesday evening drew global attention to Nigeria’s worsening security situation during a UN event centred on religious freedom.
The event, themed “Combatting Religious Violence and the Killing of Christians in Nigeria,” focused on the rising attacks against Christian communities and the broader implications for freedom of belief.
Speaking at the gathering, Waltz described the killings in Nigeria as “genocide wearing the mask of chaos.”
He said, “In the Middle Belt and the North, churches are burned, and mothers are burying their children simply for singing Amazing Grace. Pastors have been beheaded for preaching. Entire villages wake up to gunshots because they dare to declare Jesus as Lord. People are jailed under blasphemy laws for wearing a cross. This is not random violence; this is genocide disguised as chaos.”
Waltz also referenced the recent kidnapping of 25 schoolgirls, saying it forms part of the disturbing pattern of attacks.
Quoting the NGO Open Doors, he said Nigeria accounts for about 80% of global violence against Christians.
He praised former U.S. President Donald Trump for speaking up about the crisis.
According to him, “One leader has refused to look away. President Trump made the persecuted Church a priority. He was the first U.S. president to bring world leaders together at the UN in 2019 to highlight this issue. He created a Religious Liberty Commission to defend believers worldwide.”
Waltz urged world leaders to raise their voices, saying silence only enables further suffering.
Nicki Minaj, who also spoke at the event, described the situation as heartbreaking.
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“In Nigeria, Christians are being targeted and killed. Churches have been burned, families destroyed, and communities forced to live in constant fear simply because of how they pray,” she said.
She added that religious persecution is not unique to Nigeria but is increasing globally, demanding urgent international action.
Minaj thanked Trump for his involvement, saying she hoped the event would inspire stronger global solidarity and protect people’s right to worship freely.
Her comments follow Trump’s recent claim that a “Christian genocide” is occurring in Nigeria and his announcement that the country would be labeled a “Country of Particular Concern.”
The Nigerian government has consistently denied accusations of religious persecution, insisting that insecurity stems from banditry, terrorism, and criminal activities—not religion. However, U.S. officials continue to express concern about the scale and pattern of the attacks.
