Nicki Minaj's UN Comments on Nigeria Called 'Dangerous' and 'Misleading' by Analysts

Nicki Minaj's recent speech at the United Nations is drawing sharp criticism from analysts and Nigerian experts, who say her comments about attacks on Christians in Nigeria are "dangerous" and "misleading."

Speaking at the UN Headquarters on Nov. 18, Minaj claimed that Christians in Nigeria are being "targeted, driven from their homes, and killed," adding that "faith is under attack in way too many places."

She also thanked former President Donald Trump "for prioritizing this issue and his leadership on the global stage."

According to RollingSone, her remarks opened a panel titled "Combating Religious Violence and the Killing of Christians in Nigeria," organized with UN Ambassador Mike Waltz.

But organizations that track conflict in the region say that Minaj's claims do not reflect the reality on the ground.

The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project and the Council on Foreign Relations have repeatedly stated that violence in Nigeria is not primarily aimed at Christians.

Instead, they say it stems from local disputes, armed groups, and regional tensions that affect people of all backgrounds.

Nigerian officials and researchers also pushed back. In an op-ed for Al Jazeera, Gimba Kakanda, a Senior Special Assistant to Nigeria's president, wrote that "conflicts typically unfold along community or regional lines rather than strictly religious ones."

Nicki Minaj's Nigeria Claims Could Raise Tensions

Bulama Bukarti, a Nigerian conflict researcher and human rights lawyer, told ABC News that the violence is "indiscriminate," stressing that both Christians and Muslims have suffered greatly. One Imam interviewed said the crisis "affects both faiths."

Nigeria, a nation of roughly 220 million people, is nearly evenly split between Christians and Muslims who often live side by side.

Critics say Minaj's speech feeds a false narrative promoted by Trump and some US conservatives, who have claimed that radical Islamist groups are intentionally carrying out widespread anti-Christian attacks.

Trump has even threatened to invade Nigeria "guns-a-blazing," a suggestion Nigeria's government has firmly rejected, Billboard reported.

Despite the pushback, Minaj insisted her comments were about defending human rights. "This isn't about taking sides," she said.

"It's about standing up in the face of injustice." She also said she wants to protect "anyone anywhere" who is being harmed for their beliefs.

Still, analysts warn that her platform gives the claims unusual weight. They argue that sharing simplified or inaccurate descriptions of Nigeria's complex conflicts could increase tensions and spread fear.

Nigerian Information Minister Idris Muhammed said there is "no systematic, intentional attempt" to target a religion, urging the public to focus on facts rather than political messaging.

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