Nigeria, Oct. 12 -- American rapper Nicki Minaj has revealed that her connection to Nigeria through her pastor and reports of religious violence influenced her decision to speak out against the alleged persecution of Christians in the country.

The rapper made the remarks during an X Takeover event at Tesla's Giga Texas facility in Austin, Texas. A video of her speech went viral on Monday.

The 43-year-old said the accounts of violence against Christians, especially in Nigeria, deeply troubled her.

"For Nigeria personally, my pastor is from Nigeria, so I have a link to Nigeria because of him. And of course, I have a lot of Nigerian barbs, but what I started seeing was the brutality with which Christians are being treated there just for b...