ROME / WASHINGTON / ABUJA — Fresh international pressure is mounting on Nigeria after a new wave of attacks on Christian communities, with Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and US President Donald Trump both calling on Abuja to do more to protect religious minorities.
In a statement posted on X (Twitter) on Friday, Meloni condemned the latest violence as “unacceptable” and urged the Nigerian government to bring the perpetrators to justice.
“We strongly condemn the renewed violence that took place today against Christian communities in Nigeria,” she wrote. “Religious freedom is an inviolable right: we ask the Nigerian government to strengthen the protection of Christian communities and all religious communities and to prosecute those responsible for these heinous attacks.”
Meloni said Italy “expresses all its closeness to the victims and to the communities in Nigeria who today feel in danger because of their religious beliefs,” framing the attacks as part of a broader challenge to fundamental human rights.
On the same day, President Trump escalated his criticism of Abuja’s handling of the crisis, speaking on a conservative US radio programme later replayed by Fox News. He again alleged that Christians in Nigeria are facing “genocide” and accused the Nigerian authorities of failing to protect them from Islamist extremists.
“Nigeria is a disgrace. The whole thing is a disgrace,” Trump said, claiming that “they’re killing people by the thousands. It’s a genocide, and I’m really angry about it.” He warned that the US could halt all aid and assistance to Nigeria and repeated his threat to consider military action against Islamist militants if Abuja does not “do more” to stop the attacks.
Trump has already designated Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” over what he describes as systematic persecution of Christians, a label that can trigger sanctions and other penalties. He argued that Washington “pays” heavily to support Nigeria and said, “We’re going to end up stopping” that support if the situation does not improve.
Nigeria’s government has repeatedly rejected genocide accusations, insisting that violence affects both Christians and Muslims and is driven by a complex mix of terrorism, banditry, communal conflict and economic pressures. But the strong language from Rome and Washington adds to diplomatic pressure on President Bola Tinubu’s administration to demonstrate tangible progress in protecting vulnerable communities and prosecuting those behind the killings.
