International pressure mounted on the Nigerian government as Italy became the second G7 country, after the United States, to openly demand urgent action over what it described as the worsening killings of Christians in Nigeria.
Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, in a strongly worded statement issued on X, condemned what she called “renewed violence” against Christian communities, insisting that the attacks had reached an intolerable level.
“We strongly condemn the renewed violence that took place today against Christian communities in Nigeria. Religious freedom is an inviolable right,” Meloni said.
“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.”
Meloni added that Italy “expresses all its closeness to the victims and to the communities in Nigeria who today feel in danger because of their religious beliefs,” signalling Rome’s alignment with growing international concern over targeted attacks in Nigeria.
Her remarks came just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump intensified his criticism of Abuja’s handling of the crisis. In an interview on Fox News Radio’s The Brian Kilmeade Show, Trump said he was “angry” about what he repeatedly called a “genocide” against Christians in Nigeria.
“They’re killing people by the thousands. It’s a genocide. We give a lot of subsidies to Nigeria. We’re going to end up stopping,” Trump said, describing Nigeria as “a disgrace.” He also suggested that Washington could halt all financial assistance and again hinted at possible drastic measures should Abuja fail to “do more” to protect Christian communities.
Trump, who previously redesignated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), accused the Nigerian government of failing to act against extremist elements and claimed, without evidence, that the killings were being ignored.
“We give a lot of subsidy to Nigeria, which we’re going to end up stopping. The government’s done nothing. They are very ineffective. They’re killing Christians at will,” he said.
“And until I got involved in it two weeks ago, nobody even talked about it.”
His remarks follow heightened scrutiny in Washington after a surge in attacks by armed groups and criminal gangs across several states. While the U.S. President framed his comments as a defence of religious minorities, conflict analysts and rights groups have repeatedly clarified that Nigeria’s violence — which affects both Christians and Muslims — does not meet the legal threshold of genocide.
The latest controversy comes after gunmen attacked St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Agwarra Local Government Area of Niger State, abducting 315 people, including 303 students and 12 teachers, according to the state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).
Trump had earlier threatened military action if Nigeria “fails to stop the killings of Christians by non-state actors,” insisting the situation had reached “genocidal proportions.”
Rights groups, however, warn that such rhetoric is misleading, inflammatory, and risks further escalating tensions.
With Italy now joining the United States in openly condemning the Nigerian government, diplomatic analysts say Abuja is entering a new phase of intensified global scrutiny, one that could compel decisive action or risk serious geopolitical consequences.
The Nigerian government has yet to respond to the latest accusations from both leaders.
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