New York, USA – November 2025: American rap superstar Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty, popularly known as Nicki Minaj, has joined the growing international call to end violence against Christians in northern Nigeria.
The Grammy-winning artist delivered a keynote address at a United States Mission to the United Nations conference titled “Combating Religious Violence and the Killing of Christians in Nigeria.” During her speech, Minaj stressed that no group should ever face persecution for their faith.
“I want to make it very clear, once again, that 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,” she said, calling for urgent global action to address Nigeria’s deepening insecurity crisis.
Minaj also expressed gratitude to former U.S. President Donald Trump for prioritising the issue on the international stage. She said, “I thank President Trump for his leadership in calling for urgent action to defend Christians in Nigeria, to combat extremism, and to stop violence against those who simply want to exercise their natural right to freedom of religion or belief.”
Earlier this year, Trump raised concerns over what he described as the mass killing of Christians in Nigeria. He urged Nigerian authorities to take action and declared the country a Country of Particular Concern (CPC). Trump also warned of potential military intervention if the killings continued, stating:
“If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the USA will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now-disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities.”
Trump further directed the U.S. Department of War to prepare for possible action, adding that any military response would be “fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our cherished Christians.”
The Nigerian government, however, has denied the allegations of mass killings, emphasising its respect for people of all faiths. In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said:
“Like America, Nigeria has no option but to celebrate the diversity that is our greatest strength. Nigeria is a God-fearing country where we respect faith, tolerance, diversity, and inclusion, in concurrence with the rules-based international order.”
Nicki Minaj’s speech has reignited global attention on Nigeria’s security challenges, with renewed calls for both international and local action to protect vulnerable communities and uphold religious freedom.
