American rapper Nicki Minaj called on the international community to confront the targeted killings and displacement of Christians in Nigeria during a United Nations event on Monday, describing the violence as a “heartbreaking assault on faith” that demands immediate global intervention.
Speaking at a forum hosted by US Ambassador Mike Waltz, Minaj — who was invited after her vocal posts on X caught Washington’s attention — urged unity against extremism, thanking former President Donald Trump for elevating the crisis and warning of potential US aid cuts or military action if attacks persist.
“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,” Minaj said, her voice steady amid the diplomatic gathering.
She framed the issue as a universal human rights imperative, adding: “Faith is under attack in way too many places. Music has shown me the power of unity across cultures and beliefs, and religious freedom allows everyone to express their faith.”
Minaj rejected any notion of division, clarifying: “I want to be clear, protecting Christians in Nigeria is not about taking sides or dividing people. It is about uniting humanity.”
In a closing plea, she reiterated: “I want to make it clear once again, this isn’t about taking sides. This is about standing up in the face of injustice. It’s about what I’ve always stood for my entire career and I will continue to stand for that for the rest of my life.”
The event follows Trump’s recent labelling of Nigeria as a potential “Country of Particular Concern” for religious freedom violations, a designation that could trigger sanctions. Minaj’s advocacy, amplified by her 150 million social media followers, has spotlighted reports of over 5,000 Christian deaths in faith-motivated attacks since 2015, drawing praise from US conservatives while sparking debate in Abuja over the framing of banditry as sectarian terror.
