Thirty-one members of the United States Congress have lauded former President Donald Trump for restoring Nigeria’s classification as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC), a label reserved for nations accused of grave violations of religious liberty.

The legislators praised Trump’s action as a “bold and moral step” to confront what they described as an ongoing persecution of Christians in Africa’s most populous country.

The commendation came through a joint statement issued Tuesday by Rep. Robert Aderholt, Chairman of the House Values Action Team, and released to the media on Thursday.

Aderholt said the decision revived hope among Nigeria’s Christian communities and reaffirmed America’s stance as a defender of global religious freedom.

“President Trump’s commitment to ending the Christian genocide in Nigeria and his decision to redesignate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern gives hope to the people of Nigeria,” he stated.

The lawmaker noted that extremist groups in Nigeria have claimed thousands of Christian lives each year, stressing that the US “must lead the charge” in countering the violence and safeguarding religious minorities.

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer praised Trump’s courage, calling him “a leader unafraid to defend people of faith.”

“God bless President Trump for standing up and protecting Christians around the globe. The United States finally has a leader unafraid to do what’s right,” Emmer said.

Republican Party Chair Lisa McClain condemned the killings in Nigeria as “a moral outrage and a crime against humanity,” while Representatives Josh Brecheen, Mary Miller, and Mark Alford advocated for stiffer sanctions and stronger U.S. action against perpetrators of religious violence.

Rep. Chris Smith, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, described the redesignation as a correction of the “wrongly lifted” 2020 CPC status under the Biden administration.

“This action is a powerful step in holding the Nigerian government accountable for its complicity in the unchecked murder, rape, and torture of Christians,” Smith said.

Other lawmakers — including Don Bacon, Andy Biggs, Gus Bilirakis, and Tim Walberg — urged the White House to deploy “every diplomatic and strategic tool” to protect Nigerian Christians and ensure justice for victims.

Trump had announced the CPC reinstatement last Friday via his Truth Social platform, warning that Christianity faces an “existential threat” in Nigeria.

“Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter. I am hereby making Nigeria a ‘Country of Particular Concern,’” Trump wrote, vowing that Washington “will not stand by while such atrocities are happening.”

Rep. Riley Moore, who first raised the issue in Congress, said Trump’s decision demonstrated “true leadership and moral clarity.”

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

However, the Nigerian government has repeatedly dismissed US claims of religious persecution, maintaining that the country’s conflicts are not driven by faith.

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, told reporters in Abuja on Wednesday that the US assessment was based on “misrepresentation and misinformation” about Nigeria’s internal challenges.

“Our security issues are driven by banditry, insurgency, and socio-economic factors, not religion,” Idris said.

President Bola Tinubu has also reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to religious freedom, emphasizing that the nation remains a constitutional democracy that upholds liberty and equality for all faiths.

“Nigeria stands firmly as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty. Since 2023, our administration has maintained open engagement with both Christian and Muslim leaders while tackling security challenges that affect citizens across faiths and regions,” he said.

Tinubu added that portraying Nigeria as religiously intolerant “does not reflect our national reality,” stressing that tolerance and coexistence “remain central to the Nigerian identity.” (VANGUARD)