American rapper Nicki Minaj has drawn international attention to what she describes as escalating persecution of Christians in Nigeria, urging world leaders to take urgent action. She made the remarks on Tuesday during a United Nations event hosted by U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz.
Minaj, who has consistently spoken about the issue in recent months, said her invitation to the UN followed a series of posts she made on X (formerly Twitter) that caught the attention of the American diplomat.
Opening her speech, she thanked former U.S. President Donald Trump for what she described as his leadership in highlighting violence against Christians in Nigeria.
Minaj spoke about music as a force for unity across cultures and faiths, insisting that religious freedom must allow every individual to “sing their faith” without fear. She warned that religious expression was “under attack in way too many places.”
“In Nigeria, Christians are being targeted, driven from their homes and killed. Churches have been burned, families have been torn apart, and entire communities live in fear constantly simply because of how they pray,” she said, stressing that the crisis requires immediate global intervention.
The rapper emphasized that her advocacy is not political or divisive.
“Protecting Christians in Nigeria is not about taking sides or dividing people. It is about uniting humanity,” she stated.
Concluding her remarks, Minaj reiterated her lifelong commitment to speaking against injustice:
“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 my entire career, and I will continue to stand for that for the rest of my life.”
Her comments come on the heels of former President Trump’s recent declaration that Nigeria could soon be added to the U.S. list of Countries of Particular Concern. Trump had warned that the U.S. would cut all aid to Nigeria and might consider swift military intervention if attacks on Christians persist.
