Award-winning rapper Nicki Minaj has publicly supported President Donald Trump’s claims that Christians in Nigeria are facing targeted persecution.
Speaking at a US-organised event on Tuesday, Minaj said:
“In Nigeria, Christians are being targeted. Churches have been burned, families have been torn apart… simply because of how they pray.”
But analysts and security experts say the reality is far more complicated. Violent attacks carried out by jihadist groups and armed gangs affect Nigerians of all religions and backgrounds—not just Christians.
This week alone, two people were killed in an attack on a church in Kwara State. Meanwhile, 25 schoolgirls—who the BBC understands are Muslim—were kidnapped in Kebbi State. Two girls later escaped, while a Muslim teacher and a security guard were also killed.
Trump’s Remarks & Nigeria’s Response
Earlier this month, Trump said he would send US troops into Nigeria “guns a-blazing” if the government continued to “allow the killing of Christians.”
Nigeria’s government strongly rejected his statement, calling it a “gross misrepresentation of reality.”
Officials insist extremists attack anyone who opposes their ideology—Muslims, Christians, and even people of no faith.
Data collected by independent organisations monitoring political violence shows that most victims of jihadist groups in northern Nigeria are, in fact, Muslims.
Nigeria’s population of over 220 million is almost evenly split between Christians and Muslims. Most jihadist activity occurs in the predominantly Muslim north.
Is There Systematic Persecution of Christians?
For months, US politicians and right-wing campaigners have argued that Islamist militants are deliberately targeting Christians in Nigeria. But the BBC found that much of the data used to support this narrative is either inconsistent or difficult to verify.
Experts add that many deadly clashes in the country stem from long-running disputes over land, water, and ethnic tensions—not religion alone.
Minaj’s Message: “This Is About Humanity”
Minaj whose real name is Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty spoke at an event hosted by the US mission to the UN in New York. She said her comments were not about division, but about justice.
“This is about standing up in the face of injustice. It’s about what I’ve always stood for,” she said, thanking Trump for “prioritising the issue.”
The 42-year-old rapper has often referenced her Christian upbringing. She also gave a shout-out to her Nigerian fanbase, the “beautiful Barbz.”
US ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz praised Minaj for using her huge platform to highlight what he called “atrocities against Christians in Nigeria.”
Fresh Violence Intensifies Outrage
On Wednesday, police in Kwara confirmed that gunmen had attacked a church in the town of Eruku, killing two people and abducting several worshippers during an evening programme.
Local reports identify the attackers as bandits. CCTV footage spreading online shows terrified congregants scrambling for safety.
In Kebbi State, armed groups stormed a secondary school and abducted over 20 girls, believed to be Muslim. The incident mirrors a long pattern of school kidnappings across northern Nigeria.
Also this week, President Bola Tinubu confirmed that jihadist fighters from Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) killed Brigadier General Musa Uba after an ambush in Borno—contradicting earlier military denials.
With rising attacks on churches, schools, and rural communities, frustration across the country is growing.
Tinubu cancelled his trip to the G20 summit in South Africa, acknowledging the “recent uptick in violent extremism” and directing security agencies to respond with “urgency and decisive action.”
Minaj’s Controversial Track Record
Minaj’s UN appearance marks her most high-profile political moment to date. It also comes after a series of controversies.
She previously sparked global debate when she falsely claimed a Covid-19 vaccine caused a man’s testicles to swell, ruining his upcoming wedding. Her comments were publicly dismissed by health officials worldwide.
She has also been involved in a long-running feud with fellow rapper Cardi B, with both artists trading insults about careers and family.
Minaj also recently revealed that despite spending most of her life in the US, she still does not hold American citizenship.
