"The Trump administration re-added the West African country to a US watch list over alleged Christian persecution. Islamist groups remain active in Nigeria's north, though most of their victims are Muslims. Nigeria has vowed to continue defending citizens of all religions after the administration of US President Donald Trump listed it as a "country of concern" over what Trump claimed was an "existential threat" to Christianity."
"The West African state's population of over 220 million is almost equally divided between Muslims and Christians. Islamist militant groups, such as Boko Haram, have been conducting attacks in the country for some 15 years, but most of their victims are Muslims living in the north, where the majority of the attacks occur. Nigeria also witnesses other incidents of violence rooted in communal and ethnic conflicts and fights over scarce land and water resources."
"In a social media post on Friday, Trump announced Nigeria was being re-added to the US watch list. "Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter," Trump wrote, providing no details or evidence for his claims. Nigeria was added to the same list in 2020, also over religious freedom concerns, during Trump's first term in office."
Nigeria was re-added to a US religious freedom watch list after US President Donald Trump described Christianity in the country as facing an "existential threat." The West African nation has over 220 million people roughly evenly split between Muslims and Christians. Islamist militant groups such as Boko Haram have carried out attacks for about 15 years, with most victims being Muslims in the north. Nigeria also experiences violence from communal and ethnic conflicts and disputes over scarce land and water. The Trump administration's designation followed earlier 2020 listing and removal in 2021; claims of mass killings were presented without detailed evidence.
Read at www.dw.com
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