American Rapper Nicki Minaj addressed the United Nations on Tuesday, on behalf of the international community to confront what she called the targeted killing and displacement of Christians in Nigeria.
The event, organised by the U.S. Mission to the United Nations and titled “Combatting Religious Violence and the Killing of Christians in Nigeria,” featured Minaj alongside Ambassador Mike Waltz, Nigerian faith leaders, and survivors of attacks.
In a five-minute address streamed live on the mission’s YouTube channel, the artist spoke without notes and at times fought back tears.
She said: “Back in way too many places… in Nigeria, Christians are being targeted, driven from their homes and killed.
“Churches have been burned, families have been torn apart, and entire communities live in fear constantly simply because of how they pray.”
She insisted the crisis extends far beyond Nigeria’s borders and stressed that defending one religious group does not mean opposing another.
“Sadly, this problem is not only a growing problem in Nigeria but also in so many other countries across the world — and it demands urgent action,” she said.
The rapper emphasised that calling for the protection of Christians should not be misinterpreted as taking sides, saying, “Protecting Christians in Nigeria is not about taking sides or dividing people. It is about uniting humanity.
“Nigeria is a beautiful nation with deep faith traditions — and lots of beautiful Barbz that I can’t wait to see.”
Speaking about reported attacks on places of worship, she noted, “When one’s church, mosque, or place of worship is destroyed, everyone’s heart should break just a little bit. And the foundation of the United Nations, with its core mandate to ensure peace and security, should shake.”
Minaj thanked President Donald Trump for elevating the issue and praised grassroots interfaith efforts.
“I am inspired by their work to build interfaith ties, to see the humanity across the lines which might divide us, and to fight for security and liberty for all those who pray.
“I hope it will encourage deepened solidarity for us to urgently work together to ensure every person can enjoy the right to believe, to worship, and to live in peace… Barbz”, she said.
She ended on a lighter note, telling her Nigerian fans, known as “Barbz” that the country remains “beautiful” and that she looks forward to performing there.
Ambassador Waltz, who introduced Minaj, described the violence as “genocide wearing the mask of chaos” and highlighted the Trump administration’s decision to redesignate Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for severe violations of religious freedom.
Nigeria’s government swiftly rejected the portrayal.
