A United States congressman, Rep. Riley M. Moore, has called on President Donald Trump to immediately redesignate Nigeria as a ‘Country of Particular Concern (CPC)’ over what he described as the “systematic persecution and slaughter” of Christians in the country.
In a letter dated October 6, 2025, and addressed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the West Virginia lawmaker urged the US government to suspend all arms sales and related technical support to Nigeria until the government “demonstrates that it is sufficiently committed to ending the reign of persecution and slaughter.”
Moore alleged that between January and September 2025 alone, over 7,000 Christians were killed by what he termed “Muslim extremist groups,” while at least 250 Catholic priests have been attacked or killed since 2015.
He further claimed that between the onset of the Boko Haram uprising in 2009 and 2025, no fewer than 19,100 churches have been attacked or destroyed across Nigeria.
“The Nigerian government has failed to protect its Christian population from sustained and coordinated attacks. Until there is verifiable action to end these atrocities, the U.S. must not continue supplying arms or military support,” Moore wrote.
The lawmaker’s demand comes amid renewed international attention on religious violence in Nigeria. During his first term in office, President Trump had designated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern, a status reversed by his successor, former President Joe Biden.
Prominent American figures, including Senator Ted Cruz, talk show host Bill Maher, and political commentator Van Jones, have also described the situation in Nigeria as a “Christian genocide.”
Speaking recently on Maher’s podcast, Senator Cruz alleged that Christians in Nigeria were being “systematically targeted and killed,” describing the wave of attacks as “genocide.”
However, the Federal Government of Nigeria dismissed the allegations, insisting that the country’s security challenges were not religiously motivated.
The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, in a statement on Monday, described the claims as “false, misleading and capable of inciting division.”
“These foreign commentators are orchestrating wild allegations about an unproven ongoing genocide in Nigeria,” Dare said. “We urge Nigerians and the international community to reject attempts to robe the country with a garment that is not hers.”
He maintained that the Nigerian government remained committed to tackling insecurity in all forms and protecting citizens irrespective of their faith.
