Nigeria has hit back at the United States for shutting it out of a United Nations event headlined by rapper Nicki Minaj, which spotlighted alleged killings of Nigerians from a specific faith group. Syndoph Endoni, Nigeria’s Chargé d’Affaires at the UN, described the move as “shaving our head in our absence,” stressing that Nigeria should have been present to defend its position.
The event, held at UN headquarters in New York and organized by the U.S. Mission, came amid ongoing accusations by the U.S. that Christians in Nigeria are facing persecution—a claim Nigeria has repeatedly denied. Endoni argued that excluding Nigeria from such a critical discussion denies the country the right to tell its own story and respond to allegations.
He questioned the rationale for inviting only a few countries while leaving Nigeria out, noting that the U.S. described the event as “private” and cited fears of retribution for some participants if Nigerian officials attended.
Despite the snub, Endoni affirmed Nigeria’s commitment to working with the U.S. to tackle extremist violence and protect lives.
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