Religious Persecution: Trump Places Nigeria On Watch List, Takes Fresh Action Against Boko Haram

The United States President, Donald Trump, has placed Nigeria on a special watch list of nations involved in or tolerated religious persecution.

This was made known in a statement on Friday by the Secretary of State Michael Pompeo.

Naija News reports that Nigeria was added to the list alongside Cuba, Nicaragua and Sudan.

Other countries that have been on the list under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 include Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.

The US Department of State also renewed the placement of Comoros, Russia and Uzbekistan on the Special Watch List (SWL).

The administration of Donald Trump also designated Boko Haram as an Entity of Particular Concern alongside al-Nusra Front, al-Qa’ida in the Arabian Peninsula, al-Qa’ida, al-Shabab, the Houthis, ISIS, ISIS-Khorasan and the Taliban.

The statement reads in part: “These designations underscore the United States’ commitment to protecting those who seek to exercise their freedom of religion or belief.

“We believe that everyone, everywhere, at all times, should have the right to live according to the dictates of their conscience.

“We will continue to challenge state and non-state entities that seek to infringe upon those fundamental rights and to ensure they are held to account for their actions.”