THIS DAWN — The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) has called on U.S. President Donald J. Trump to intensify American intervention in what it describes as the systematic persecution and mass killing of Christians in Nigeria.
In a strongly worded letter dated November 14, 2025, CPAC Chairman Matt Schlapp and Senior Fellow Mercedes Schlapp praised Trump’s decision to designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC).
They urged him to maintain pressure on the Nigerian government until measurable reforms are achieved.
The letter, released to the media on Thursday, commended Trump’s “strong and decisive action” in responding to escalating religious-freedom violations in Africa’s most populous nation.
According to CPAC, Christians in Nigeria face “targeted and horrifying” attacks at levels unmatched anywhere else in the world.
The signatories credited Trump for “listening to the cries of the persecuted” and placing “all available Presidential actions on the table” to compel Nigerian authorities to act.
CPAC noted that thousands of Christians are killed annually by extremist groups, including:
- Boko Haram,
- Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), and,
- Heavily armed Fulani militant networks operating across the Middle Belt.
The organization accused the Nigerian government of failing to prosecute attackers, with particular emphasis on the persistent impunity surrounding Fulani militant violence.
The letter also highlighted the following:
- mass displacement,
- widespread kidnappings,
- trafficking of women and girls, and,
- the enforcement of blasphemy laws that carry the death penalty and fuel mob lynchings.
The solution
The group outlined four conditions Nigeria must meet before being removed from the CPC list.
These include:
- increased military and law-enforcement protection for Christian communities,
- credible prosecution of perpetrators,
- facilitated resettlement for displaced families, and,
- the repeal of the country’s Sharia-based blasphemy laws.
CPAC emphasized that without concrete reforms and “verifiable evidence of improvement,” Nigeria should remain under U.S. scrutiny.
Beyond Nigeria, the letter positioned Christian persecution as a global emergency, citing abuses in Nicaragua, Syria, China, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Algeria and other regions.
CPAC warned that several historically democratic nations—including some in Europe and South Korea—are showing signs of weakening in their commitments to religious freedom.
The organization urged President Trump to continue prioritizing the defense of persecuted Christians worldwide.
It argued that Christians remain the world’s most targeted religious group.
“If the U.S. does not stand, no one else will,” the letter declared, calling for renewed moral leadership and a foreign-policy agenda centered on protecting religious minorities.
The letter concluded with CPAC’s pledge to support Trump’s international religious-freedom agenda.
It stated that the United States could “turn the tide against global persecution” with decisive leadership from the White House.
Signed by Matt Schlapp and Mercedes Schlapp, the correspondence represents one of the strongest appeals yet from conservative advocacy groups pressing the U.S. government to respond more forcefully to what they describe as a “Christian genocide” unfolding in Nigeria.
