United States Senator Ted Cruz has praised former President Donald Trump for re-designating Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC), commending the move as a decisive step toward confronting what he described as the ongoing persecution of Christians in the West African nation.
Trump had earlier announced the decision on his Truth Social platform, claiming that Christianity faced an “existential threat” in Nigeria due to widespread attacks allegedly carried out by radical Islamist groups.
“Thousands of Christians are being killed,” Trump wrote. “Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter. I am hereby making Nigeria a ‘country of particular concern.’ The United States cannot stand by while such atrocities happen. We will stand ready and able to protect Christians around the world.”
Reacting through a statement on his official website, Senator Cruz lauded Trump’s action, saying it reflected a commitment to religious freedom and human rights.
“I am deeply gratified to President Trump for making this determination,” Cruz said.
“I have fought for years to counter the slaughter and persecution of Christians in Nigeria, and this year introduced legislation that will lock in the designation made today.”
The Texas senator emphasized that the re-designation marked a crucial step toward holding Nigerian officials accountable for enabling or ignoring attacks on religious minorities.
“Today’s designation is a critical step in holding accountable and changing the behaviour of Nigerian officials who have created or tolerated an environment conducive to such outrages,” he added.
Cruz also revealed that his proposed Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025 would impose targeted sanctions on individuals responsible for enforcing blasphemy or sharia-based laws that violate basic human rights.
“I am committed to working with the administration and my colleagues to advance my bill and implement these necessary measures,” he said.
“President Trump’s decision is a great one, and I thank him for his strong leadership.”
In response, Nigeria’s Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, rejected Trump’s claims and Cruz’s assertions, describing them as “misleading and based on inaccurate data.”
Speaking in an interview with CNN on Tuesday, Idris maintained that Nigeria remains committed to religious freedom, human rights, and the rule of law, stressing that violence in the country is not driven by religion.
“Some of the claims made by US officials are based on faulty assumptions that victims of violence are largely Christians,” Idris said.
“Yes, Christians have been attacked, but so have Muslims, these criminals target everyone, especially in the northern parts of the country.”
The minister warned that such narratives could embolden criminal and extremist groups seeking to inflame religious tension between Christians and Muslims.
“Promoting these inaccurate stories only fuels division and strengthens those who want to destabilize Nigeria,” Idris added.
Senator Cruz’s proposed legislation, the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act, seeks to formalize the CPC designation and compel US diplomatic action against Nigerian officials accused of facilitating jihadist violence or enforcing blasphemy laws.
According to Cruz, the bill aims to protect Christians and other religious minorities from persecution and ensure that perpetrators face tangible consequences.
“It is long past time to impose real costs on the Nigerian officials who enable these abuses,” he said.
“My bill uses both new and existing tools to do exactly that, and I urge my colleagues to advance it quickly.”
The move, however, has been met with mixed reactions among international observers, with some viewing it as a necessary human rights measure and others criticizing it as politically motivated and disconnected from Nigeria’s complex security situation.
