U.S. President Donald Trump has redesignated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” under the International Religious Freedom Act, citing thousands of Christian deaths attributed to Boko Haram and Fulani militants and accusing the Nigerian government of inaction.

The move revives a designation first applied during Trump’s initial term and later dropped by the Biden administration in 2021.

Announced via Truth Social and shared on the White House’s official X account, the action tasks Congress—specifically Rep. Riley Moore (R-WV) and House Rules Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK)—with investigating arms flows to alleged perpetrators and exploring U.S. response options. Trump framed the decision as urgent, declaring: “Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria… I am hereby making Nigeria a ‘country of particular concern.’”

The designation, supported by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), enables potential sanctions including aid suspensions and visa bans. Open Doors USA ranks Nigeria ninth globally for Christian persecution, citing 7,000 deaths in 2025 and over 19,000 church attacks since 2009.

Moore, in an October 6 letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, urged the redesignation and called for arms sale suspensions until Abuja demonstrates “tangible commitment” to curbing violence. He also cited Kano orphanage closures and blasphemy laws jailing critics of Prophet Mohammed.

Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) echoed the concerns in September, accusing Nigerian officials of “facilitating mass murder.” Nigerian Information Minister Mohammed Idris rejected the claims in a CNN interview, calling the data “faulty” and arguing that violence affects Muslims as well, describing the conflict as rooted in farmer-herder disputes rather than religious persecution. He noted the arrest of 1,200 Boko Haram suspects in 2025 and warned that inflammatory narratives could deepen divisions.

The designation follows renewed global attention after a viral video of a mass burial in Heipang, Plateau State, where 11 Christians were killed last week. Cleric Ezekiel Dachomo described the footage as “genocide documentation,” urging international intervention and warning that self-defense may become necessary.

Nigeria, a major U.S. aid recipient with $1.2 billion in assistance in 2024, risks diplomatic strain but has pledged continued cooperation on counterterrorism. While rights advocates like USCIRF welcomed the move, critics warned it could complicate bilateral ties and undermine broader engagement..