American rapper Nicki Minaj is set to speak at a United Nations event in New York on Tuesday, where she is expected to draw global attention to what she describes as growing attacks on Christians in Nigeria.
Minaj, whose legal name is Onika Maraj-Petty, will appear alongside influential U.S. officials who have repeatedly raised concerns about faith-based violence in the country.
She is scheduled to join the U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Michael Waltz, as well as Alex Bruesewitz, a key adviser to President Donald Trump. The upcoming engagement is being positioned as a platform to examine alleged jihadist violence targeting Christian communities in Nigeria.
The development came to public attention after a senior U.S. political correspondent revealed details of the planned meeting on social media. Ambassador Waltz later confirmed the event and commended Minaj for what he described as her courage and readiness to “speak out against injustice,” noting that few global celebrities have addressed the issue so openly.
Minaj expressed gratitude for the invitation, calling it an honour and insisting she would “never stand down in the face of injustice.” She added that using her voice on human rights matters is a responsibility she takes seriously.
Her involvement follows recent remarks by Donald Trump, who claimed Nigeria is experiencing a “Christian genocide” and announced plans to classify the country as a “Country of Particular Concern.” He also urged U.S. lawmakers to take swift action. Minaj publicly applauded his comments, saying global leaders must not ignore the situation.
The Federal Government of Nigeria has repeatedly rejected allegations of religious persecution, maintaining that the nation’s security challenges stem from criminal, economic, and political factors rather than faith-based motives.
Despite Nigeria’s position, U.S. officials continue to spotlight the issue on international platforms, adding fresh global scrutiny to the country’s internal security narrative.
