President of the United States Donald Trump has once more voiced deep frustration about the reported mass killings of Christians in Nigeria, describing the pattern of violence as a form of Christian genocide.
Trump stated that these attacks have continued for a long period, yet he believes the matter only gained significant global attention after he raised it publicly.
He criticised the assistance that the United States provides to Nigeria, arguing that officials in the country have failed to take firm action to control the violence, which has led to the deaths of many people.
Nigeria rejects accusations of Christian genocide as Trump considers military steps.
During an interview with Fox News, President Trump criticised several American news outlets for refusing to highlight the situation.
“I think Nigeria is a disgrace; the whole thing is a disgrace. They are killing people in large numbers. It is genocide, and I am very angry about it. And we pay, you know, we offer a lot of subsidies to Nigeria. They are not effective. They are killing Christians freely.
"And you know, until I stepped in two weeks ago, nobody even mentioned it. The New York Times does not publish stories about it,” he said.
A recent viral video captured worshippers rushing out of a church in Nigeria after gunshots were heard inside the building.
Meanwhile, Nigeria has said it is willing to accept help from the United States in tackling armed groups, as long as its territorial rights are protected, as President Trump continues to warn of possible military action based on what he calls the persecution of Christians.
Nigeria, which has more than two hundred million people, is divided between a mostly Muslim north and a largely Christian south. For more than fifteen years, armed groups have carried out attacks mainly in the northeast.
Watch the interview below: