Shehu Sani faults Nicki Minaj over “Christian genocide” claims, says rapper is amplifying falsehoods to impress Trump

Former Kaduna Central senator, Shehu Sani, has criticised American rap star Nicki Minaj for what he described as a reckless and uninformed intervention in Nigeria’s security crisis. Sani accused the rapper of seizing on unverified claims of a “Christian genocide” in Nigeria to curry favour with United States President Donald Trump, whose administration has recently sharpened its rhetoric on religious persecution abroad.

Minaj, speaking on Tuesday at a United Nations event hosted by US Ambassador Mike Waltz, alleged systematic attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria, asserting that worshippers were being massacred and churches destroyed “simply because of how they pray.” Her remarks, amplified by millions of social media followers, sparked immediate outrage in Nigeria and heightened diplomatic tension between Abuja and Washington.

“Christians are being targeted, driven from their homes, and killed,” Minaj said at the event. “This is about humanity.”

Her comments echoed Trump’s recent decision to designate Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern,” alongside his threat to deploy US military force against “Islamic terrorists” he claims are perpetrating widespread killings in the country. The US president also hinted at halting American aid to Nigeria unless the violence is brought under control.

But Sani, in a sharply worded response on Wednesday, dismissed Minaj’s claims as a sensationalised distortion of Nigeria’s complex security challenges. He accused her of repeating a one-sided narrative designed to align with Trump’s broader political agenda.

“The UN has unfortunately given its platform to Nicki Minaj to spread fabricated claims of a fictitious genocide in Nigeria,” Sani said. “She has never visited any conflict community in this country and knows nothing about our realities.”

He questioned Minaj’s credibility on humanitarian advocacy, arguing that she has no known record of engaging with global development or rights-based causes. “While some Western celebrities take up campaigns against hunger, gender discrimination, or landmines, she stands out for rapping gibberish and flaunting outfits at odds with our culture,” he said.

Sani urged Minaj to direct her activism toward issues affecting Trinidad and Tobago, her country of birth, instead of “using Nigeria as a pawn in her political courtship with Trump.”

The Nigerian government has separately condemned the United States Mission to the UN for excluding Nigerian representatives from the session where Minaj spoke. Chargé d’Affaires Syndoph Endoni said Nigeria’s absence amounted to “shaving our head in our absence,” accusing the US of hosting a discussion on Nigeria without giving the country a chance to defend itself or correct misinformation.

“You cannot take decisions or hold a conversation about a sovereign nation without its participation,” Endoni said. US officials reportedly cited “safety concerns” as the reason for Nigeria’s exclusion – an explanation Abuja has rejected as unacceptable.

At the event, Ambassador Waltz described the situation in Nigeria as “genocide wearing the mask of chaos,” insisting that evidence from researchers points to systematic attacks on Christian communities, including assassinations of priests and the burning of churches. International advocacy group Open Doors also highlighted the spread of anti-Christian violence from the northern states into the Middle Belt and parts of the south.

President Bola Tinubu, reacting to the escalation, defended Nigeria’s religious harmony and insisted that his administration continues to work with both Christian and Muslim leaders to confront extremist violence.

“Nigeria is not a religiously intolerant country,” Tinubu said. “Religious freedom is fundamental to who we are as a people.”

He urged international partners and commentators to avoid framing Nigeria’s insecurity through a purely religious lens, warning that such narratives risk deepening divisions rather than aiding peace efforts.