Why I couldn’t keep quiet about Christians in Nigeria – Nicki Minaj

American rapper Nicki Minaj has explained why she decided to publicly speak about the alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria, saying her decision was driven by her personal connection to the country and reports of attacks on worshippers.

Minaj made the comments during a surprise appearance at AmericaFest on Sunday while responding to a question from Erika Kirk, the widow of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.

Asked what inspired her to speak up, the rapper said she has long-standing ties to Nigeria and was disturbed by reports of violence against Christians.

“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.

“So hearing that people are being kidnapped in church, killed and brutalised just because of their religion should make people angry.”

Minaj added that she and others would no longer remain silent on the issue.

“We’re not backing down anymore. We are not going to be silenced by bullies. We will speak up for Christians wherever they are in the world,” she said.

The rapper also spoke about religious freedom globally, noting that many people take the ability to worship freely for granted.

“There are people in this world right now who cannot worship God where and how they want. Every time we pray openly, we should remember those hiding to pray and pray for them too,” she said.

Minaj, who has previously raised concerns about Nigeria, had earlier shared a post by US President Donald Trump on his Truth Social platform, where he wrote on October 31 that Christianity was facing an “existential threat” in Nigeria.

Reacting to the post on November 1, Minaj said she felt grateful to live in a country where people can freely practise their faith, stressing that no group should be persecuted for their religion.

Last month, the rapper also made headlines after raising similar concerns during a collaboration with US Ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz.

At the AmericaFest event, Minaj praised President Trump and Vice President JD Vance, describing them as leaders who understand the concerns of ordinary Americans.

She also said Christians face challenges even in the United States, adding that leadership plays a key role in protecting religious freedom.

“Christians have been persecuted in different ways even here. When we talk about Nigeria and other countries, previous administrations saw nothing wrong with that, and that was the problem,” she said.

However, the Federal Government of Nigeria has repeatedly denied claims of a coordinated or systematic persecution of Christians, insisting that insecurity affects Nigerians of all religious backgrounds.