LAGOS, Jan 14 - Nigeria has hired a U.S. lobbying firm to help maintain U.S. support and counter what it has called misinformation by Christian Evangelical groups and other U.S. lobbyists about what its government is doing to protect Christians in the country.

U.S. President Donald Trump redesignated Nigeria "a country of particular concern" in November and promised military action if it failed to crack down on the killing of Christians.