U.S. Congressman Riley Moore has praised President Donald Trump for designating Nigeria as a “country of particular concern,” following growing allegations of persecution and mass killings of Christians in the country.
Trump, in a post on his Truth Social platform on Friday, claimed that Christianity was facing an “existential threat” in Nigeria, blaming radical Islamists for the widespread violence.
“Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter. I am hereby making Nigeria a ‘country of particular concern,’” Trump wrote.
He added that the United States “cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening” and vowed that his administration stand ready, willing, and able to save our great Christian population around the world.”
Reacting to the move in a post via his X handle, Moore commended Trump’s decision, describing it as a demonstration of strong leadership and a commitment to protecting persecuted Christians.
“Thank you, @POTUS, for your incredible leadership by designating Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern,” Moore wrote in a post.
“You have always been a champion for Christians around the world, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to work with you and Chairman Cole (@houseappropsgop) to defend our brothers and sisters in Christ who are being slaughtered by radical Islamists in Nigeria,” he added.
Earlier reports shows that Moore had urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio to take immediate diplomatic action over what he described as the “systematic persecution and slaughter of Christians” in Nigeria, which he called the deadliest place in the world for followers of the faith.
In a statement on October 6, the lawmaker called for Nigeria’s redesignation as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) and for the suspension of arms sales until the Nigerian government demonstrates a “tangible commitment” to ending the violence.
“Nigeria has become the deadliest place in the world to be a Christian, and the United States cannot stand idly by,” Moore wrote.
Citing figures from Open Doors and other reports, he claimed that more than 7,000 Christians had been killed in 2025 alone and that “at least 19,100 churches have been attacked or destroyed since 2009.”
He alleged that “corrupt cells within the Nigerian government may be complicit” in some attacks, noting that
“In states such as Kano, regional governments have closed Christian orphanages and forced the children to be reeducated as Muslims,” he wrote, also citing harsh anti-blasphemy laws that include long prison sentences for “insulting the Prophet Mohammed.”
