The international pressure on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Administration deepened on Friday as Italy joined in drumming support for the United States to demand for an immediate end to the killings of Christians in Nigeria.
became the second G7 nation—after the United States—to openly demand an immediate end to the killings of Christians in Nigeria.
Italy’s Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, who became the second amongst the G7 nation to declare open support for the U.S., said in a statement posted on X, that “renewed violence” against Christian communities in Nigeria, have become unacceptable.
Meloni said; “We strongly condemn the renewed violence that took place today against Christian communities in Nigeria. Religious freedom is an inviolable right.
“We ask the Nigerian government to strengthen the protection of Christian communities and all religious communities and to prosecute those responsible for these heinous attacks.
The Italian Prime Minister further said Italy expresses all its closeness to the victims and to the communities in Nigeria who today feel in danger because of their religious beliefs, thereby signalling Rome’s alignment with mounting global concern over the targeted killings.
Meloni’s statement came few hours after U.S. President Donald Trump unleashed another blistering criticism of Nigeria’s handling of the crisis while speaking on a conservative radio programme, as captured by Fox News.
President Trump had said he was “angry” over what he pointedly described as a “genocide” against Christians.
Trump, who already designated Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern, specifically accused the Nigerian Federal Government of failing to act against Islamist extremists.
He therefore warned that the U.S. may cut all aid to Nigeria, saying Washington could not continue funding a country he labelled “a disgrace.”
With Italy now supporting the U.S. in open condemnation, diplomatic analysts noted that Nigeria is entering a new phase of global scrutiny that may force decisive action from the seat of government or risk serious geopolitical
consequences.
