US Senator Ted Cruz has vowed to publicly name Nigerian officials allegedly involved in sponsoring what he described as the ongoing “Christian genocide” in the country.

In a video posted across his social media platforms, Cruz addressed Nigeria’s worsening insecurity and thanked former US President Donald Trump for designating Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” over the continued attacks on Christians by Boko Haram and other extremist groups.

“There is no country on earth where Christians are more persecuted than Nigeria,” Cruz said in the video.


 In a statement accompanying the clip, he wrote:

“I’ve been pushing legislation to designate Nigeria a CPC and to impose sanctions on the Nigerian officials responsible. Thank you to President Trump for his leadership in imposing the designation, and for fighting to stop the murder of Christians in Nigeria. Now we should take the next step and hold Nigerian officials accountable. I intend to be very explicit about who they are in the coming days and weeks.”

Cruz’s comments have sparked renewed debate about U.S.–Nigeria relations and the growing international concern over religiously motivated violence in the country.