Nigeria, Nov. 1 -- The federal government of Nigeria has rejected US President Donald Trump's move to tag Nigeria a "country of particular concern" over Christian genocide claims.

According to Trump in a social post on Friday, "Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed".

The US president blamed radical Islamists for the "mass slaughter".

Reacting to the claim in a statement on Saturday by Kimiebi Ebienfa, spokesperson of the ministry of foreign affairs, the federal government said the claims do not reflect the realities on the ground, and that Nigerians of all faiths have long lived, worked, and worshipped together peacefully.

The statement furthered that while Nigeria appreciate...