President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is pushing back against Donald Trump's designation of Nigeria as a "country of particular concern" for alleged persecution of Christians. On Saturday, Tinubu stated that Nigeria values religious freedom and opposes persecution. Trump, in a social media post on Friday, claimed Christianity faces an existential threat in Nigeria due to radical Islamists. It followed Senator Ted Cruz's call for Congress to label Nigeria a violator of religious freedom. Nigeria's population is split between Christians and Muslims, with attacks often targeting both groups. The U.S. first placed Nigeria on the concern list in 2020.
