The White House and the president announced on social media the United States is designating Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern due to the “mass slaughter” of Christians at the hands of “Radical Islamists.”
In a subsequent post, President Donald Trump indicated he instructed the Department of War to prepare for possible military intervention.
The Country of Particular Concern designation is reserved for nations guilty of “systemic, ongoing, egregious violations of religious freedom.” The U.S. Secretary of State typically announces the designation, acting under the president’s delegated authority.
For more stories at your doorstep, subscribe to The Baptist Paper.
SIGN UP for our weekly Highlights emails.
International religious freedom advocates applauded the decision to designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern, without endorsing threats of military action.
Christian Solidarity Worldwide noted “particularly acute” violence in Nigeria’s Plateau State, including the raiding of a hospital that led to the repeated gang-rape of two Christian girls who were abducted.
The Country of Particular Concern designation “should be regarded by the Nigerian government as an encouragement to address grave violations of freedom of religion or belief that have persisted for decades with greater urgency,” said Scot Bower, CSW chief executive officer.
“We urge Nigeria to engage positively, and to view this designation as an opportunity to secure the assistance needed to trace and hold funders, facilitators and perpetrators of religion-related violations to account, and to close the protection gap by tackling every source of security definitively.”
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Ken Camp and originally posted by the Baptist Standard.
