United States President Donald Trump announced on Friday, October 31, that he is designating Nigeria a “country of special concern” after he claimed that Christianity in the West African country faces a threat. Countries of particular concern are countries that the US says have committed serious violations of religious freedom.
In a post on Truth Social, Donald Trump said: “Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass murder. I hereby make Nigeria a ‘COUNTRY OF SPECIAL CONCERN.’
“When Christians or any similar group are being slaughtered as they are in Nigeria (3,100 vs. 4,476 worldwide), something must be done! I am asking Congressman Riley Moore, along with Chairman Tom Cole and the House Appropriations Committee to look into this matter immediately and report back to me.”
The US president continued that the United States “cannot stand by while such atrocities occur in Nigeria and many other countries. We are ready, willing and able to save our great Christian population around the world!”
List of countries of special interest to the US
The The list of countries of special interest includes BurmaPeople’s Republic of China, Cuba, Eritrea, Iran, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, according to the State Department website.
Serious violations include “systematic, persistent, gross violations of religious freedom,” including violations such as: (1) torture; (2) prolonged detention without charge; (3) enforced disappearance; or (4) other flagrant denial of life, liberty, or security of persons, the State Department said.
Countries on special watch list are Algeria, Azerbaijan, Central African Republic, Comoros and Vietnam.
In addition to countries, the US also has a list of entities that relate to tiered interest. It is an affiliate of Al-Shabaab, Boko Haram, Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham, The Houtis, Isis-Sahel (formerly known as ISIS-Greater Sahara), ISIS-WES AFRICA, AL-Qa’ida affiliate Jamaat Nasr Al-Islam Walliin and the Taliban.
