Rapper Nicki Minaj drew international attention to the persecution of Christians in Nigeria during a high-profile event at the United Nations in New York City on November 18, 2025. Speaking alongside U.S. Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz, Minaj condemned the violence targeting Christians in the African nation, calling it a “humanitarian crisis.” She detailed harrowing experiences, saying, “In Nigeria, Christians are being targeted, driven from their homes and killed. Churches have been burned. Families have been torn apart, and entire communities live in fear constantly, simply because of how they pray”.
The event, organized by the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, aimed to highlight the religious violence and killings against Christian communities in Nigeria. Ambassador Waltz labeled the situation as “genocide wearing the mask of chaos,” emphasizing that the persecution includes assassinations of clergy, destruction of church congregations, and systematic attacks that threaten to erase an entire faith “one bullet at a time, one torched Bible at a time”. Minaj underscored that protecting Christians in Nigeria should not be a divisive issue but a call for humanitarian unity, stating, “This is about what I’ve always stood for my entire career. And I will continue to stand for that for the rest of my life. I will care if anyone, anywhere, is being persecuted for their beliefs”.
Minaj’s involvement came amid heightened political tensions, with former U.S. President Donald Trump publicly designating Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” over widespread Christian persecution. Trump had threatened military intervention if radical Islamist militants, including Boko Haram and Fulani fighters, continued their attacks. These militant groups have been linked to numerous assaults targeting Christians, especially in northern Nigeria, where they also use sexual violence as a weapon against women.
However, Nigerian government officials, including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, have rejected claims of targeted religious persecution, describing them as exaggerated or false. Tinubu stressed Nigeria’s commitment to religious freedom and tolerance, asserting that violence affects all citizens regardless of faith and that the country does not endorse religious persecution.
The campaign brought together not only celebrities like Minaj and diplomats like Waltz but also faith leaders and experts who presented evidence of the disproportionate suffering among Christians in Nigeria. The dialogue sought to spur global awareness and encourage urgent international action to curb the violence and protect religious minorities.
This phenomenon is part of a broader, complex security challenge in Nigeria marked by terrorism, ethnic conflicts, and insurgency, affecting multiple religious communities. Yet, advocates emphasize the need for focused attention on the particular risks faced by Christians, who have suffered targeted killings and displacement for their religious beliefs.
The event underscored a pressing human rights issue that demands response from the international community, balancing political diplomacy with humanitarian concern. Going forward, sustained advocacy, diplomatic pressure, and coordinated security efforts are critical to safeguarding vulnerable populations in Nigeria and ensuring freedom of belief without fear of violence.
In summary, Nicki Minaj’s UN address elevates a contentious and urgent global issue—the persecution of Christians in Nigeria—with calls for worldwide solidarity to halt the bloodshed and uphold human rights. The dialogue initiated at the UN conference sets a course for intensified international engagement and activism aimed at protecting religious freedom and saving lives in Nigeria and beyond.
