A United States congressman, Rep. Riley M. Moore, has called on former President Donald Trump to immediately re-designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) over what he described as ongoing religious persecution and violence targeting Christians in the country.
Moore, who represents West Virginia’s Second District in the US House of Representatives, made this demand in a letter dated October 6, 2025. The letter, which was also addressed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, was sighted by DAILY POST on Tuesday.
In the strongly worded letter, Moore accused the Nigerian government of failing to protect its Christian population from what he described as a widespread campaign of violence carried out by “Muslim extremist groups.” He urged the US government to suspend all arms sales and technical support to Nigeria until the government shows clear commitment to stopping what he termed “the reign of persecution and slaughter.”
According to Moore, no fewer than 7,000 Christians have been killed between January and September 2025 alone. He further claimed that at least 250 Catholic priests have been killed or attacked since 2015. He also alleged that more than 19,000 churches have been attacked or destroyed since the Boko Haram insurgency began in 2009.
“Enough is enough,” the congressman wrote. “It is time for the United States to stop enabling a government that refuses to protect its people and continues to turn a blind eye to mass killings.”
This is not the first time Nigeria has faced such a designation. During Trump’s first term in office, Nigeria was placed on the CPC list, a classification for countries that allow or tolerate “severe violations of religious freedom.” However, former President Joe Biden removed Nigeria from the list during his administration, a move that drew criticism from religious freedom advocates.
Moore’s position echoes the views of other prominent Americans, including US Senator Ted Cruz, TV host Bill Maher, and political analyst Van Jones. During a recent podcast with Maher, Cruz described the situation in Nigeria as “a genocide against Christians.”
He claimed that religious minorities in Nigeria are being systematically targeted, adding that the international community must no longer ignore the killings.
However, the Nigerian government has strongly rejected these allegations. The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Public Communication, Mr. Sunday Dare, dismissed the claims as false, inflammatory, and potentially divisive.
Dare said the government remains committed to securing the lives of all Nigerians regardless of their religion. He added that the foreign allegations were based on misinformation and failed to reflect the reality on the ground.
“These are wild and unfounded accusations that do not represent the facts,” Dare said. “Nigeria is a multi-religious country and our security challenges affect citizens across all faiths. To describe the situation as a Christian genocide is to tell a lie aimed at stirring division.”
He further cautioned Nigerians and the international community against accepting such claims without verified evidence, adding that such labels could damage Nigeria’s international reputation and worsen tensions locally.
While the US Congress may debate new actions on Nigeria, it remains to be seen whether the Trump camp, will act on Moore’s request to re-list Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern.
For now, Nigeria continues to face international scrutiny as it battles worsening insecurity and growing foreign criticism over how it handles internal conflicts.
