Nigerian Christian Paul Adamu, a Boko Haram survivor, praises Trump’s redesignation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern for Christian persecution.
Newsroom (06/11/2025, Gaudium Press ) Nearly three years after enduring 12 days in Boko Haram captivity, Nigerian Christian Paul Adamu remains deeply scarred by the ordeal, describing it as the most traumatizing chapter of his life. In a Monday interview with EWTN News Nightly, Adamu, West Africa Director for iReach Global, expressed gratitude for U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent actions addressing Christian persecution in Nigeria.
The U.S. State Department on Monday redesignated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for severe violations of religious freedom, particularly targeting Christians. The move follows Trump’s November 1 warning of potential military intervention and aid suspension if Nigeria fails to curb attacks on Christian communities.
“I was excited because at the beginning, it seemed like the outside world was not aware of what was happening in Nigeria,” Adamu told EWTN. “It seemed like we were all by ourselves.”
Adamu, who was kidnapped in 2023, declined to detail his captivity, calling it “a disheartening period” and “a very hard and difficult point of my life.” He emphasized the relentless violence facing Nigerian Christians: “There has been a repetition of attacks every day, every week, every month. We wake up with news of attacks in different parts of the country.”
As head of iReach Global, a nonprofit supporting persecuted Christians, Adamu highlighted the organization’s work in Plateau State, where he resides. “iReach Global has done so much… by giving these communities aid and equipping them with discipleship training,” he said. “We have been helping the communities that are being targeted to understand that they are not alone.”
Adamu hailed Trump’s CPC designation as a long-sought victory. “We are grateful. We are so excited,” he said, noting increased media coverage of Christian persecution since the announcement. “Before, we never used to hear about [it]… Now we are hearing it every day. That is why we are very grateful to Donald Trump.”
Trump’s threat of “guns-a-blazing” intervention has reportedly pressured Nigerian authorities, with daily broadcasts now addressing the crisis, Adamu said. The redesignation marks a significant escalation in U.S. scrutiny of Nigeria’s handling of religious violence, amid ongoing Boko Haram and Islamist militant attacks.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from ACI Africa
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