The detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has written to United States President Donald Trump, calling for an independent investigation into what he described as the “killings of Christians and Igbo people” in Nigeria’s South-East region.

In a letter dated November 6, 2025, and delivered through his lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, to the U.S Embassy in Abuja, Kanu urged Trump to act on his recent declaration that Washington was prepared to intervene militarily and suspend aid to Nigeria if the government failed to protect its Christian population.

According to a copy of the letter obtained by DAILY GAZETTE, Kanu appealed to the U.S. to “launch an independent inquiry into the condition of Judeo-Christians in Eastern Nigeria, granting investigators full access to relevant evidence and survivor testimonies.”

Kanu opened the letter with warm greetings, expressing gratitude for Trump’s October 31 statement, which, he said, “ignited hope in the hearts of millions abandoned by the world.”

“I extend warm greetings to you in the name of the Judeo-Christian faith and values we both hold dear,” Kanu wrote.

“Your bold declaration that the United States is prepared to act militarily and cut aid if Nigeria fails to protect its Christian population ignited hope in the hearts of millions.”

The IPOB leader told the U.S. president that Christians in Nigeria face an existential threat, particularly in the South-East, which he described as the “Igbo heartland.”

“You have seen the truth: Christians in Nigeria face an existential threat. This challenge affects the Igbo heartland, where Judeo-Christians continue to endure untold hardship,” he added.

Kanu referenced documented cases of violence and human rights abuses, citing reports by Amnesty International and the United Nations.

“Amnesty International (2016) reported at least 150 peaceful Christian worshippers killed, their bodies dumped in rivers. UN Special Rapporteur Agnès Callamard confirmed that at least 60 were killed and over 70 injured in St. Edmund’s Catholic Church during prayers,” the letter read.

“This was not a clash. It was a massacre of worshippers commemorating their fallen. In Aba, 22 were killed on-site, and 13 bodies were exhumed from a borrow pit. Children were executed for singing ‘Sweet Jesus,’” he alleged.

Kanu, who has been in detention at the Department of State Services (DSS) since 2021, reminded Trump that the Court of Appeal had discharged and acquitted him in October 2022, yet he remains in custody.

“I was never released, so there was no re-arrest, only continued unlawful imprisonment in blatant violation of constitutionally protected double jeopardy safeguards,” he said.

He cited a United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention report that described his detention as “arbitrary, unlawful, and politically motivated.”

“It is a state capture of the rule of law to silence a Judeo-Christian voice,” he added.

The IPOB leader renewed his call for a U.S.-led inquiry into alleged atrocities in Eastern Nigeria, with access to mass graves, military logs, and survivor testimonies.

He also urged the U.S. Congress to convene emergency hearings on what he called the “Igbo Christian crisis” and to consider Magnitsky Act sanctions against specific Nigerian officials allegedly involved in human rights abuses.

In addition, Kanu requested U.S. support for an internationally supervised referendum on self-determination for the Igbo people, describing it as “the only peaceful path to ending this cycle of violence.”

Reaffirming his commitment to peace and justice, Kanu concluded:

“Mr President, history will judge us by what we do when genocide knocks. You have the power to stop a second Rwanda in Africa. One tweet, one sanction, one inquiry could save millions.

“We seek only justice, truth, and freedom, even from a prison cell. May the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob grant you wisdom and courage to deliver His people once again.”

A US lawmaker spearheading an inquiry into attacks on Christians in Nigeria has promised to provide President Donald Trump with a report soon, following the former president’s recent claims that Christians are under threat in the West African nation.

During a speech on Wednesday, Trump reaffirmed Nigeria’s designation as a “Country of Particular Concern” under US law, citing what he described as widespread killings of Christians by radical Islamist groups.

“Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter,” Trump stated.

He emphasized that the United States must act to protect persecuted Christians globally.

Trump also called for immediate legislative action, naming Congressman Riley Moore, Chairman Tom Cole, and the House Appropriations Committee to investigate the situation and report back without delay.

He hinted that military intervention could be considered if the killings persist.

In response to Trump’s remarks, Riley Moore thanked the former president via his verified X (formerly Twitter) account.

“Thank you, President Trump, for your incredible leadership in defending persecuted Christians, especially in Nigeria,” Moore wrote.

“I am on it and will have more for you soon.”

Last Friday, Trump posted on Truth Social reaffirming Nigeria’s CPC status and warning of what he termed a Christian genocide in the country.

“Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible. Nigeria is a Country of Particular Concern, but that is only the beginning,” he wrote.

The Nigerian government has strongly denied the allegations, calling them inaccurate and misleading. Officials argue that the violence is rooted in general insecurity, not religious persecution.

President Bola Tinubu posted on X, reiterating Nigeria’s commitment to religious freedom. “Nigeria stands firmly as a democracy with constitutional guarantees of religious liberty,” he said, emphasizing ongoing collaboration with both Christian and Muslim leaders to address security challenges nationwide.

Tinubu added that portraying Nigeria as religiously intolerant ignores the nation’s diversity and the government’s consistent efforts to maintain peace and protect citizens of all faiths.

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday assured the United States that Nigeria remains resolute in its determination to defeat terrorism and restore full security across the country.

Responding to concerns expressed by U.S. President Donald Trump, Tinubu emphasized that despite political headwinds, his administration will sustain strong engagement with international partners to secure peace and stability.

Speaking at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, shortly after swearing in two new ministers, the President reiterated his government’s commitment to unity, growth, and renewed hope.

The newly inaugurated ministers are Dr. Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh (Enugu State) and Dr. Bernard Mohammed Doro (Plateau State). Dr. Udeh, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and former Enugu State Attorney-General, replaces Chief Uche Nnaji, who resigned over alleged certificate forgery.

Dr. Doro succeeds Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, who now serves as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The brief swearing-in ceremony followed the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, presided over by the President.

During the session, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, reported steady progress in the economy, noting that Nigeria’s GDP grew by 4.23% in the second quarter of 2025, the highest quarterly growth rate in a decade, aside from the post-COVID recovery period.

Tinubu commended the economic team and lauded the oversubscription of Nigeria’s $2.3 billion bond, describing it as proof of renewed investor confidence.

“Despite the political headwinds and the fears among our people, we will continue to engage with our partners,” Tinubu said.

“The success of the $2.3 billion bond at this stage is a strong signal of confidence. The task ahead is immense, but we are resolved to move forward with unity and purpose under the Renewed Hope agenda to build a prosperous, inclusive, and resilient Nigeria.”

The FEC also observed a minute of silence in honour of the late Senator Solomon Ewuga, a former Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, and General Mohammed Abdullahi (rtd.), who once served as Military Governor of Benue-Plateau State and the first Director-General of the Nigerian Security Organization.

Paul Biya, Cameroon’s long-serving leader and the world’s oldest sitting president, has officially begun his eighth term in office after taking the oath on Thursday in Yaoundé.

The 92-year-old, who has ruled since 1982, won the October 12 election with 53.7% of the vote, according to official results.

His main opponent, former minister Issa Tchiroma Bakary, trailed with 35.2% and continues to dispute the outcome, alleging widespread fraud.

During the swearing-in ceremony, attended by domestic officials but no foreign heads of state, Biya pledged to “spare no effort” in fulfilling the trust placed in him.

“I understand the scale of our challenges and the frustration of our people,” he said.

Tchiroma, once a close ally of Biya, has declared himself the legitimate winner, saying, “There are two presidents, the one elected by the people and the one declared by the Constitutional Council.”

He has encouraged supporters to demonstrate peacefully, but protests have been met with a strong government crackdown that has left several people dead.

Following the election announcement on October 27, security forces dispersed rallies in major cities.

The opposition has since called for “dead city” actions, urging citizens to close shops and stay home, which have seen partial success across regions such as Garoua and Douala, though the capital, Yaoundé, remains largely functional.

Authorities have accused Tchiroma of inciting unrest and are considering legal action.

Meanwhile, international organizations including the EU, AU and UN have condemned the use of violence against protesters and urged investigations into the reported deaths.

Biya remains one of Africa’s longest-serving rulers, maintaining control over Cameroon through decades of political tension, economic hardship, and separatist conflict.

He is only the second leader in the country’s history since its independence from France in 1960.

Thirty-one members of the United States Congress have lauded President Donald Trump for designating Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) over the alleged persecution of Christians.

The lawmakers described the move as a critical step in addressing what they called a “growing Christian genocide” in Africa’s most populous nation.

The statement, issued by House Values Action Team Chairman Rep. Robert Aderholt and reviewed by our correspondent, praised Trump’s action as offering “hope to the people of Nigeria” and reinforcing the US commitment to defending religious freedom globally.

“President Trump’s commitment to end the Christian genocide in Nigeria and his designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern gives hope to the people of Nigeria. This persecution of Christians must end,” Aderholt said.

Several lawmakers expressed support for sanctions and increased international pressure on those responsible for religious attacks.

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer said “God bless President Trump for standing up and protecting Christians around the globe.”

GOP Chair Lisa McClain called the situation “a moral outrage and a crime against humanity.”

Reps. Josh Brecheen, Mary Miller, and Mark Alford emphasized the need for targeted measures against perpetrators.

Rep. Chris Smith, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Africa Subcommittee, noted that the decision restored the CPC designation previously lifted under the Biden administration, calling it “a powerful step forward in holding the Nigerian government accountable for its complicity in unchecked violence against Christians.”

Other supporters, including Don Bacon, Andy Biggs, Gus Bilirakis, and Tim Walberg, urged Washington to use “every diplomatic and strategic tool” to protect Nigerian Christians and enforce accountability.

On Truth Social, President Trump described Christianity in Nigeria as facing an “existential threat,” blaming radical Islamist groups for widespread violence:

“Thousands of Christians are being killed. I am hereby making Nigeria a ‘country of particular concern.’ The United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening and will stand ready to protect our Christian population globally.”

Rep. Riley Moore, one of the lawmakers who brought the issue to Congress, praised the move as a demonstration of leadership and commitment to protecting persecuted Christians:

“We can no longer turn a blind eye to the bloodshed of our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. This horrible persecution will end thanks to President Trump.”

The Federal Government of Nigeria has consistently rejected claims of religious persecution.

Minister of Information Mohammed Idris, in a briefing in Abuja, said US allegations were influenced by “misrepresentation and misinformation” about Nigeria’s internal security situation.

President Bola Tinubu reiterated that Nigeria is a constitutional democracy that protects religious freedom.

In a statement on November 1, he affirmed that the government engages leaders of all faiths in addressing security challenges and emphasized that reports portraying Nigeria as intolerant “do not reflect our national reality.”

“Religious freedom and tolerance have been a core tenet of our collective identity and shall always remain so,” Tinubu stated.