On Friday, US President Donald Trump said he declared Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) over alleged persecution of Christians.

A Country of Particular Concern (CPC) is a designation by the United States Secretary of State (under authority delegated by the President) of a country responsible for particularly severe violations of religious freedom under the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) of 1998 (H.R. 2431) and its amendment of 1999 (Public Law 106-55).

The term “particularly severe violations of religious freedom” means systematic, ongoing, egregious violations of religious freedom.

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The Nigerian government has repeatedly denied the claim.

Earlier this month, Massad Boulos, Senior Adviser to  Trump for Arab and African Affairs, dismissed persistent claims of a Christian genocide in Nigeria — insisting that terrorism in the country affects people of all faiths.

Speaking in Rome, Italy, during a meeting with President Bola Tinubu on the sidelines of the Aqaba Process Heads of State and Government summit, Boulos countered allegations by some U.S. lawmakers who had called for Nigeria to be designated a “country of particular concern” (CPC) over alleged persecution of Christians.

At the time, Boulos emphasized that the violence in Nigeria was not religiously motivated.

“Those who know the terrain well know that terrorism has no colour and no religion and no tribe,” he said.

He went further to explain that militant groups such as Boko Haram and ISIS had killed more Muslims than Christians in Nigeria’s long-running insurgency.
“We even know that Boko Haram and ISIS are killing more Muslims than Christians. People are suffering from all sorts of backgrounds. This is not specifically targeted about one group or the other,” he stated.

Boulos acknowledged that deadly clashes between farmers and herders had claimed many lives, particularly in the country’s Middle Belt region, where many farmers are Christians. But he insisted the situation could not be classified as genocide.
“But definitely it’s not something that we can say is specifically targeted about a specific group,” he said.

The adviser described Nigeria as a “melting pot” of diverse ethnic and religious groups, noting an almost even divide between Christians and Muslims.
“This has never been a serious religious issue and should not be,” he added.

Boulos also praised the Tinubu administration’s recent measures to curb insecurity, saying the U.S. welcomed Nigeria’s progress and would continue to support its efforts.

His comments came amid growing international debate on whether Nigeria’s sectarian violence amounted to targeted persecution — a claim Boulos firmly rejected, stressing instead the need for global cooperation to end terrorism in all its forms.