American rapper Nicki Minaj has explained why she decided to publicly speak about alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria, saying her comments were driven by personal ties to the country and reports of attacks on worshippers.
Minaj made the remarks during a surprise appearance at AmericaFest on Sunday while responding to a question from Erika Kirk, the widow of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Explaining her motivation, the rapper said Nigeria holds a special place in her heart because of her close connections to Nigerians.
“Nigeria is a place I’ve always loved. Someone very dear to me, my pastor, is Nigerian, and I have lots of Nigerian barbs,” she said.
Minaj added that reports of violence against Christians deeply troubled her.
“So hearing that people are being kidnapped while they’re in church, people are being killed, brutalised, all because of their religion — that should spark outrage,” she stated.
The rapper said she would not be silent on issues of religious freedom, insisting that Christians around the world deserve protection.
“We’re not backing down anymore. We are not going to be silenced by the bullies anymore. We will speak up for Christians wherever they are in this world,” Minaj said.
She also spoke broadly about religious freedom, noting that many people take the right to worship freely for granted.
“We take for granted that there, right now in this world, are people who cannot worship God as they please, where they please,” she said.
“Every time we pray in fellowship, we have to remember the people that are right now in this world hiding to pray in fellowship, and we have to pray for them,” she added.
Minaj has previously shared concerns about Nigeria. On November 1, she reacted to a post by United States President Donald Trump on his Truth Social platform, where he wrote on October 31 that “Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria.”
Responding to Trump’s post, Minaj wrote, “Reading this made me feel a deep sense of gratitude. We live in a country where we can freely worship God. No group should ever be persecuted for practising their religion.”
The rapper also made headlines last month after raising similar concerns during a collaboration with United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz.
At the AmericaFest event, Minaj praised Trump and Vice President JD Vance, describing them as leaders who understand the concerns of everyday Americans.
During the question-and-answer session, she argued that leadership plays a key role in protecting religious freedom, even within the United States.
“Christians have been persecuted right here in our country in different ways,” she said.
“So when we talk about Nigeria and other countries, know that prior administrations saw nothing wrong with that, and that’s what was wrong with them,” Minaj added.
However, the Federal Government of Nigeria has repeatedly rejected claims that Christians are facing a coordinated or systematic genocide in the country.
The government has described such claims as false and misleading, stressing that insecurity affects Nigerians of all religions.
According to the government’s position, as reported by The PUNCH, Nigeria’s security challenges are complex and linked to issues such as terrorism, banditry, and criminal violence, not a state-backed campaign against any particular faith.
Minaj’s comments have drawn mixed reactions online. She faced heavy criticism after reposting Trump’s message about “thousands of Christians being killed” and later speaking at the United Nations to call for action.
Critics accused her of spreading misinformation, arguing that available data shows violence in Nigeria affects both Christians and Muslims.
Reports also indicate that the rapper lost over 100,000 followers after the controversy, with some applauding her for raising awareness, while others faulted her for oversimplifying Nigeria’s security crisis.
