American rapper Onika Maraj-Petty, widely known as Nicki Minaj, has once again raised her voice over the ongoing killings in Nigeria, calling for an end to the violence and demanding freedom for Christians in the country.
On Friday, the Grammy-nominated artist took to X (formerly Twitter) to express her concerns through a faith-based message. She first quoted a line from a popular Christian hymn, writing, “On Christ the solid rock I stand. All other grounds is sinking sand. All other ground…” before adding emphatically, “FREE THE CHRISTIANS IN NIGERIA!!!!!!!!!! STOP THIS NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
This is not Minaj’s first public intervention on the issue. In November, she addressed the situation during a United Nations–related briefing on global religious freedom, where violence against Christians in Nigeria was a major focus.
At the same event, U.S. official Michael Waltz described the killings as “genocide wearing the mask of chaos.” He alleged that churches in Nigeria’s Middle Belt and northern regions have been attacked, pastors killed, and entire communities displaced because of their Christian faith.
“In the Middle Belt and in the North, churches burn, mothers bury their children for the crime of singing Amazing Grace; pastors have been beheaded for preaching the Sermon on the Mount,” Waltz said. He also linked the violence to kidnappings, citing incidents where schoolchildren were abducted.
Minaj, who also spoke during the briefing, maintained that Christians in Nigeria are being targeted solely because of their beliefs.
“In Nigeria, Christians are being targeted, driven from their homes, and killed. Churches have been burnt, families torn apart, and entire communities live in constant fear simply because of how they pray,” she said.
She further framed the crisis as part of a wider global challenge and thanked former U.S. President Donald Trump for drawing international attention to the issue.
The Nigerian government, however, has consistently rejected claims of religiously motivated genocide, insisting that insecurity in the country affects citizens of all faiths and that bandits and insurgents target communities indiscriminately.
