Trump’s decision to tag Nigeria as country of concern stems from greed – Dan Bello
Activist and commentator, Bello Galadanci, popularly known as Dan Bello, has faulted former U.S. President, Donald Trump’s decision to place Nigeria back on the list of “Countries of Particular Concern” (CPC) over alleged persecution of Christians.
Reacting in a post on X (formerly Twitter) titled “The CPC Hustle: How a Fake Genocide Became Capitol Hill’s Favorite ATM,” Bello said the claim of a “Christian genocide” in Nigeria is false and being used by some foreign groups to make money.
According to him, the narrative has become a business for some U.S.-based lobbyists and NGOs who exaggerate Nigeria’s security challenges to attract international donations and funding.
“The pitch is simple: scream ‘genocide,’ wave a blurry video of bandits on motorbikes, and watch the dollars rain down,” he wrote.
Bello explained that while insecurity in Nigeria’s northern region is real, it affects everyone regardless of religion.
“Bandits kill farmers, farmers fight back. Muslims die. Christians die. Traditionalists die. The only pattern is poverty, not prophecy,” he stated.
He recalled that Trump had previously given Nigeria the same designation in 2020, but it was later lifted by President Joe Biden after U.S. reports found no evidence of religious genocide.
Bello alleged that some organizations continue to spread false stories about Nigeria to secure funding, using unverifiable reports and recycled videos.
He also accused some of turning religious freedom campaigns into personal profit ventures.
“The real religion isn’t Christianity or Islam—it’s capitalism,” he wrote, describing the situation as a “hustle” that benefits foreign middlemen more than the real victims of violence.
The Nigerian government has also rejected Trump’s latest claim, insisting that the killings in parts of the country are acts of banditry, not religious persecution.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently stated that Nigeria’s security agencies have neutralized thousands of terrorists and will continue to restore peace across affected areas.
“Let’s be clear: Nigeria has problems. Boko Haram is evil. Herder-farmer clashes are deadly. Corruption eats aid. But turning a national crisis into a sectarian cash cow helps no one except the middlemen with American passports and Nigerian accents.The irony? The loudest voices screaming “genocide” have never buried a cousin in Maiduguri. They’re too busy burying the truth under donor decks. Their real religion isn’t Christianity or Islam—it’s capitalism. And their holy sacrament? The earmark.” Dan Bello emphasized.
Bello’s post has attracted wide reactions online, with many Nigerians agreeing that Western narratives about the country often ignore the complex social and economic roots of the insecurity.
He concluded his piece by saying,”Call it what it is: not genocide. Just good old-fashioned greed, dressed up in a dashiki and a cross.No faith required. Just facts.”