Nicki Minaj Voices Support for Trump’s Claims of Christian Persecution in Nigeria
ABUJA, NIGERIA – Rapper Nicki Minaj has publicly backed former U.S. President Donald Trump’s assertion that Christians in Nigeria are facing systematic persecution, sparking controversy adn debate over the accuracy of the claims. Minaj,42,expressed her support via social media,stating the issue is “the face of injustice” and “what I’ve always stood for.” She also thanked Trump for “prioritizing this issue and for his leadership.”
The rapper’s comments come amid growing allegations from right-wing campaigners and politicians in washington that Islamist militants are deliberately targeting christians in Nigeria. U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Mike Waltz, publicly thanked Minaj for “leveraging her massive platform to spotlight the atrocities against Christians in Nigeria.”
Though, the Nigerian government has strongly refuted these claims, calling them “a gross misrepresentation of reality.” An official statement asserted that “terrorists attack all who reject their murderous ideology – Muslims, Christians and those of no faith alike.” monitoring groups indicate that the majority of victims of jihadist groups in Nigeria are, in fact, Muslim.
Nigeria, with a population of 220 million, is roughly evenly divided between Muslim and Christian populations, with Muslims predominating in the north, the region where most attacks occur.
Recent violence includes a deadly attack on a church in eruku, kwara state, on Tuesday, where gunmen opened fire on worshipers, killing two and abducting several others.Local media identified the attackers as bandits who stormed the Christ Apostolic Church during an evening program, shooting the pastor and holding congregants at gunpoint. CCTV footage circulating online shows worshipers scrambling for safety, including an elderly woman attempting to escape.
On Tuesday, President Bola Tinubu confirmed the killing of Brigadier General Musa Uba by jihadist forces after he was captured in an ambush.The Islamic State west Africa Province (Iswap) claimed obligation for Uba’s death in Borno state, though the Nigerian army initially denied the officer had been abducted and killed.
despite the violence, Minaj described Nigeria as “a beautiful nation with deep faith traditions” and acknowledged her fans, the “beautiful Barbz,” in the country.
The BBC has reported difficulties in verifying some of the data used to support claims of systematic targeting of Christians, noting that deadly disputes are frequently enough rooted in competition for resources like land and water, or inter-ethnic tensions, rather than solely religious conflict.
