Nicki Minaj has backed Donald Trump’s claim that Christians in Nigeria are being “targeted” and has called “for urgent action to defend Christians in Nigeria”.
The US rapper addressed the United Nations at an event on Tuesday and said: “Churches have been burned, families have been torn apart, simply because of how they pray."
Minaj said: “I stand here as a proud New Yorker with a deep sense of gratitude that we live in a country where we can freely and safely worship God regardless of one’s creed, background, or politics.”
She added: “No group should ever be persecuted for practising their religion, like I recently stated on social media”.
Minaj said protecting Christians in Nigeria is “not about taking sides” but about “standing up in the face of injustice” and “uniting humanity” as she thanked Trump for “prioritising this issue”.
The Nigerian president had said the long-running violence affected “everyone, regardless of background or belief” and that militants attacked “all who reject their murderous ideology”, including “Muslims, Christians and those of no faith alike”.
The 42-year-old rapper, whose real name is Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty, appeared alongside the US ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz, who thanked her for “leveraging her massive platform to spotlight the atrocities against Christians in Nigeria”.
During her UN appearance, Minaj also described Nigeria as "a beautiful nation with deep faith traditions" and acknowledged the "beautiful Barbz", her fans, in the West African country.
For months, right-wing campaigners and politicians in Washington have alleged that Islamist militants are systematically targeting Christians in Nigeria.
However, the Premier Christian News has previously reported that Mohammed Idris, Nigeria’s information minister, said that "any narrative suggesting that the Nigerian State is failing to take action against religious attacks is based on misinformation or faulty data".
Minaj had told fans on X that “the Barbz & I will never stand down in the face of injustice”, saying they had been “given our influence by God”.
The United States Congress will hold a hearing to examine allegations of Christian persecution in Nigeria after Trump redesignated the country as a “country of particular concern (CPC)”.