Trump Administration Places Nigeria on Religious Persecution Watch List, Citing 'Existential Threat' to Christians Compiled By Televangelist HB Morgan The Trump administration has officially placed Nigeria on a State Department watch list, citing claims of rampant religious persecution within the country. President Donald Trump announced the action on Truth Social, claiming that Christianity is facing an "existential threat" in Nigeria. Key Allegations and Actions: * Claim of Mass Slaughter: President Trump alleged that "thousands of Christians are being killed" in the country and explicitly stated that "radical Islamists are responsible for the mass slaughter". * Official Watch List Status: Nigeria, Africa's top oil producer, has been added to the "countries of particular concern" list, a designation for nations found by the U.S. to have engaged in severe religious freedom violations. Other nations on this list include China, Myanmar, North Korea, Russia, and Pakistan. * Call for Investigation: The President asked US Representatives and the House of Representatives Appropriation Committee to look into the matter and report back to him. Context of Persecution and Conflict: * Support from Lawmakers: Trump’s claims echo the language of several right-wing lawmakers, including Senator Ted Cruz, who have asserted that Christian persecution and "genocide" are increasing in Nigeria. * Reported Casualties: Figures cited in the report claim that nearly 17,000,000 Christians were killed between 2019 and 2023 The Nigerian Perspective: * Expert Counterpoint: Some experts argue that the violence in the country is "indiscriminate". * Geographic and Religious Divide: Nigeria is broadly divided between a Muslim-majority North and a largely Christian South. The Christian population is estimated to be approximately 46% of the total population, roughly 87 million. * Conflict Over Resources: Tensions are often intensified by disputes over resources like water, which have led to violent clashes primarily between largely Christian farmers and largely Muslim shepherds. * Government Denial: The Nigerian government has denied that these violent clashes are primarily motivated by religious affiliation The CCWN TV Network Website is Exclusively LIVE on Patreon via Click on LINK below: https://patreon.com/ccwntvnetworkintl Courtesy of: Christian Church World News CCWN Television Network Digital Library™