US rapper supports Trump’s Christian persecution claim
The American rapper, Nicki Minaj, has shown her support for US President Donald Trump’s claims that Christians face persecution in Nigeria, according to Africanews plus agencies on November 20th.
The US leader said he would send troops into the country if Abuja failed to protect the religious group. On November 2nd, Trump had threatened military action on Nigeria as accusations of Christian persecution circulated.
Trump had also made a statement, when on Air Force One, saying that the country is “killing the Christians and killing them in very large numbers. We’re not going to allow that to happen. ”
The frustration over religious people allegedly not having basic rights because of what they believe in, has now extended past Trump.
“Religious freedom means we can all sing our faith regardless of who we are, where we live, and what we believe. But today, faith is under attack in way too many places,” Minaj said at a US-organised event at the United Nations on November 18th.
The US ambassador to the UN, Mike Waltz, hosted the event to bring awareness towards protecting religious freedoms and to address claims of rising violence against Christians.
Although, the coin to the argument has turned over slightly as independent analysts and human rights organisations have not found any evidence that supports Trump’s accusations that Nigerian Christians are being deliberately targeted.
Data from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED) shows violence by extremist groups in Nigeria has affected Christians, but also Muslims as well.
Abuja has pushed back against persecution allegations, describing them as “a gross misrepresentation of reality.”
Analysts also mentioned that armed groups and jihadists that are waging campaigns of violence in Nigeria are detrimental to all communities.
Political violence is being monitored in the country, and organisations have said that the majority of victims of the Islamist groups are Muslims.
Africanews plus agencies, Maghrebi.org
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