The Nigerian government on Saturday rejected remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump alleging large-scale killings of Christians in the country and declaring Nigeria a "country of particular concern." In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Trump's claims did not reflect the current realities in Nigeria, which faces a range of security challenges. "While Nigeria appreciates global concern for human rights and religious freedom, these claims do not reflect the situation on the ground. Nigerians of all faiths have long lived, worked, and worshipped together peacefully," the statement read. The statement said that the Nigerian government had remained committed to fighting terrorism, strengthening interfaith harmony, and protecting the lives and rights of all its people. It added that Nigeria would continue to engage constructively with the U.S. government to deepen mutual understanding of regional dynamics and the country's ongoing peace and security efforts. The response followed a post by Trump on the social media platform Truth Social on Friday, in which he alleged that thousands of Christians are being killed in Nigeria by "radical Islamists," who are responsible for "this mass slaughter." On Saturday, Trump required the U.S. Department of Defense to prepare for a possible military actions against Nigeria, and the U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted that the U.S. military was preparing to take actions against Nigeria. SHOTLIST: Beijing, China - Nov 1-2, 2025 1. Statement of Nigeria government; 2. Posts of U.S. President Donald Trump, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth; FILE: Abuja, Nigeria - May 27, 2023 3. Various of national flag of Nigeria, national emblem of Nigeria, sign reading "You are Welcome", traffic; FILE: Abuja, Nigeria - June 18, 2023 4. Various of national flag of Nigeria, buildings, traffic, pedestrians; FILE: Lagos, Nigeria - Date Unknown 5. Various of traffic, pedestrians; FILE: Abuja, Nigeria - Oct 2, 2025 6. Various of traffic; FILE: Washington D.C., USA - Oct 2024 7. Various of White House, U.S. national flag; FILE: Washington D.C., USA - Date Unknown 8. Exterior of Pentagon; traffic on road. [Restrictions: No access Chinese mainland]