Nigeria has criticised the United States (US) for excluding its officials from a high-profile event held at the United Nations headquarters in New York on alleged killings of Nigerians belonging to a particular faith group.
The event, involving American rapper Nicki Minaj and organised in partnership with the US Mission to the UN, centred on longstanding accusations by Washington that Nigerian Christians face targeted persecution.
The programme followed recent comments by former US President Donald Trump, who designated Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” over claims of religiously motivated killings.
But Nigeria’s Chargé d’Affaires to the UN, Syndoph Endoni, said the decision to bar the country from participating amounted to “shaving our head in our absence,” arguing that no discussion on such serious allegations should be held without Nigeria’s direct involvement.
Speaking to journalists, Endoni said the exclusion denied Nigeria the opportunity to “tell its own side of the story,” stressing that accusations of Christian genocide had repeatedly been dismissed by the Nigerian government.
“It is important that the country concerned in these allegations is present, aware and has a voice. You should not make major decisions or take action on matters involving a sovereign state without its presence or consent,” he said.
The envoy questioned why only a handful of countries were invited, saying the arrangement lacked transparency. He added that Nigeria had cautioned US officials on the impropriety of “continuing to shave someone’s hair in his absence,” a phrase he used to describe the perceived one-sidedness of the event.
Endoni further warned that excluding Nigeria amounted to “naming and shaming,” a tactic he said risked inflaming tensions at home. He maintained that Nigeria was not passive in confronting extremist violence and remained committed to bringing criminals to justice.
Also, the US Senior Adviser for African Affairs, Patricia Mahoney, had visited the Nigerian House in New York a day earlier to brief Endoni on the event.
Mahoney informed him that three UN member states and other individuals, including a Nigerian pastor, were invited, but no representative of the Nigerian government was asked to attend. Mahoney reportedly described the gathering as a private event.
It was reported that the exclusion was driven by a request from certain participants who feared possible retribution for themselves and their families if Nigerian officials were present.
Despite the diplomatic friction, Endoni said Nigeria would continue engaging with US authorities on combating extremist attacks and improving security cooperation aimed at protecting lives and property.
NAN.
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