The designation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) announced by President of the United States, Donald Trump on Friday October 31 carries several significant implications for the country.
Trump designated Nigeria CPC following a push by some lawmakers in the US including Senator Ted Cruz and a couple of others who felt agitated by the incessant killings of Christians in some parts of Nigeria by islamic fundamentalists.
Nigeria was previously designated as a CPC by the Trump administration’s State Department in 2020 but was removed from the list in 2023 by the Joe Biden administration. The recent designation marks a return to this status.
The Nigerian government had argued that there was nothing like Christian genocide in the country. A couple of top Nigerians have also argued for and against the claim that there is Christian genocide in the country.
But the debate notwithstanding Donald Trump still went ahead to designate Nigeria CPC
Basis for the designation
The CPC designation is made under the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) of 1998. A country’s government is designated as a CPC if it has “engaged in or tolerated particularly severe violations of religious freedom.”
The reasons cited in the case of Nigeria include
Escalating Violence: Reports indicate a significant number of Christians have been killed, abducted, and displaced in Nigeria, often attributed to extremist groups like Boko Haram, ISWAP, and militant Fulani herdsmen.
The argument from advocates and some US officials is that the Nigerian government has allegedly tolerated these relentless attacks, allowing the perpetrators to act with impunity.
President Trump, in the social media post, cited alarming casualty figures and stated that Christianity is facing an “existential threat” in Nigeria, underscoring it as the global epicenter of faith-based violence.
His words, “Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter. I am hereby making Nigeria a ‘COUNTRY OF PARTICULAR CONCERN’.”
”But that is the least of it. When Christians, or any such group, is slaughtered like is happening in Nigeria (3,100 versus 4,476 Worldwide), something must be done!”
”The United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening in Nigeria, and numerous other countries. We stand ready, willing, and able to save our Great Christian population around the World
The designation itself is an official act by the U.S. government, which allows the United States to take diplomatic or economic action against a country for engaging in or tolerating “particularly severe violations of religious freedom.”
The implication
The most direct and significant implication is that the designation authorizes the U.S. government to impose various penalties or “Presidential Actions” on the country. While the designation doesn’t automatically trigger sanctions, it opens the door for a range of punitive measures.
Possible actions include: Economic Sanctions: This can involve restricting or banning non-humanitarian U.S. foreign assistance (e.g., development aid, military financing).
It can also lead to Trade Restrictions: Limiting certain types of exports or trade with Nigeria and businesses run by Nigerians
It also means Diplomatic Actions can be taken against Nigeria : Issuing formal diplomatic protests or reducing the level of diplomatic engagement.
The US can also Impose measures like asset freezing or visa restrictions on specific government officials or entities responsible for the violations.
The action could also mean altering other aspects of U.S. foreign policy towards Nigeria
The U.S. President has the authority to issue a waiver on any of these actions if it is deemed in the “important national interest of the United States,” which means a CPC designation doesn’t always result in new, immediate penalties.
Implications beyond the US
Apart from affecting Nigeria’s relationship with the US the CPC designation may lead to Nigerian being viewed in international circles as a country that violates human rights thus placing it under increased international scrutiny.
It could also lead to pressures on Nigeria to address the violations to improve its international human rights rating and its relationship with the US. Such designation will also lead to increase focus on Nigeria by human rights advocates .