Rap superstar Nicki Minaj has stepped into the arena of global diplomacy, appearing at the United Nations summit to highlight what the Trump administration describes as the “mass slaughter” of Christians in Nigeria.

Introduced by Mike Waltz, President Trump’s ambassador to the UN, Minaj addressed a gathered audience about the escalating violence in West Africa. Her appearance marks a high-profile endorsement of the White House’s controversial stance on the crisis.

Minaj, who has recently been vocal about her faith, was welcomed warmly by Waltz. He praised her for using her global platform to shine a light on religious persecution.

“She steps on to this world stage not as a celebrity but as a witness.”

In her address, the Starships rapper echoed the administration’s concerns, stating that no group should face persecution for their beliefs. She called for unity and urgent action to protect vulnerable communities, aligning herself with President Trump’s assertion that Christianity faces an “existential threat” in the region.

The Trump administration has taken a hardline approach to the situation in Nigeria. Officials allege that Islamist insurgents are systematically targeting Christians in a campaign of genocide.

President Trump has previously threatened to cut aid and even mooted military intervention if the Nigerian government does not halt the killings. This narrative suggests a clear-cut religious war where Christians are the primary victims of radical Islamic terror.

While the administration presents a binary picture of religious persecution, experts and correspondents on the ground paint a far more complex picture.

According to regional analysts, the “mass slaughter” narrative often overlooks key factors like resource wars, as much of the violence in Nigeria’s Middle Belt is driven by competition for land and water between nomadic herders and settled farmers, rather than religious theory. Shared Suffering as Muslims are also victims of banditry and terror groups like Boko Haram, often in higher numbers than Christians in certain northern states.

And lastly, kidnapping for ransom has become a lucrative industry for criminal gangs who target anyone with perceived wealth, regardless of their faith.

“The violence affects people of all faiths and is driven by terrorism and local conflicts, not persecution.”

The Nigerian government has firmly rejected the “genocide” label. Officials in Abuja argue that categorising the unrest as religious persecution is “fundamentally misinformed”.

They maintain that the security crisis is a national challenge involving terrorists, bandits, and resource disputes that affect all Nigerians. By framing the conflict solely as an attack on Christians, critics argue the US administration risks ignoring the complex socio-economic roots of the violence.