United States Ambassador to the United Nations Michael Waltz and rap star Nicki Minaj will speak at a United Nations event this week focused on violence against Christian communities in Nigeria, organizers said.
The appearance, coordinated by political adviser Alex Bruesewitz, is intended to spotlight allegations of targeted attacks against Christians in Nigeria and to discuss U.S. responses. The event is scheduled for Tuesday and will include remarks from both Waltz and Minaj, who has a large international following.
Minaj expressed gratitude for the invitation and framed her participation in moral terms. “Ambassador, I am so grateful to be entrusted with an opportunity of this magnitude. It means more than you know. The Barbz & I will never stand down in the face of injustice. We’ve been given our influence by God. There must be a bigger purpose,” she wrote on social media.
Waltz praised Minaj’s involvement in a tweet, calling her “not only arguably the greatest female recording artist, but also a principled individual who refuses to remain silent in the face of injustice,” and saying he was “grateful she’s leveraging her massive platform to spotlight atrocities against Christians in Nigeria.”
The event comes amid heightened U.S. attention to religiously motivated violence in Nigeria. Former President Donald Trump has publicly characterized the situation as a “genocide against Christians” and threatened possible military action; Minaj earlier reposted a statement by Trump that said “Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria” and blamed “radical Islamists” for mass killings. In her repost, Minaj said the message left her with “a deep sense of gratitude,” adding that “No group should ever be persecuted for practising their religion.”
U.S. officials have listed Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” over religious freedom issues. The Nigerian government has denied that a genocide is underway and has disputed claims that Christians are being targeted for extermination.
Organizers said Tuesday’s session will also discuss measures the U.S. administration is taking to address and mitigate attacks on vulnerable communities in Nigeria. The event is likely to draw attention from international diplomats, human rights advocates, and critics who have questioned the framing and potential diplomatic implications of labeling the violence as genocide.
