U.S. lawmakers have sharply criticized the Nigerian government for failing to curb widespread insecurity and brutal killings across the country, warning that Washington will no longer ignore what they describe as escalating persecution and unchecked violence.
The critiques were issued on Tuesday during a joint congressional briefing of the U.S. House Appropriations Committee, convened to examine alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria following former President Donald Trump’s redesignation of the country as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) and his threat of potential military action.
Congressman Chris Smith opened the session with a stern rebuke: “The Nigerian government has a fundamental constitutional obligation to protect its citizens; however, the perpetrators of these atrocities operate with complete impunity.”
Smith, who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Africa Subcommittee, warned that the U.S. would hold the Nigerian government accountable. “The Nigerian government is trying to run out the clock. We cannot allow this to happen. We must act quickly and decisively to save more lives,” he said.
Rep. Brian Mast echoed that sentiment, supporting Trump’s decision to redesignate Nigeria as a CPC. He insisted that the United States “must demand that the Nigerian government disarm militias, return displaced families to their homes, and bring perpetrators to justice.”
‘The World Will Not Turn a Blind Eye’
Riley Moore, Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Legislative Branch Subcommittee and a prominent advocate for religious liberty, reaffirmed his claim that Christians face severe persecution in Nigeria. “The world will no longer turn a blind eye to the persecution of Christians in Nigeria,” he declared.
Also speaking at the briefing, Vicky Hartzler, Chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), said repeated warnings about impending attacks in Nigerian communities are routinely ignored.
She urged Washington to expand early-warning capacity and insist on faster local responses.
“Too many times, villagers raise alarm before an attack, only for their pleas to be ignored. Worse still, law enforcement is sometimes alerted during an attack and no help is sent. This is unacceptable,” Hartzler said
Expert: Crisis Rooted in Jihadist Terror
Dr. Ebenezer Obadare, Douglas Dillon Senior Fellow for Africa Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, told lawmakers that Nigeria’s instability is primarily driven by jihadist groups—especially Boko Haram and ISWAP.
He argued that U.S. pressure has already forced Nigeria to act, pointing to recent military airstrikes, the recruitment of 30,000 additional police officers, and the declaration of a national security emergency.
However, he urged Washington not to relent: “The policy goal should be two-fold: first, work with the Nigerian military to neutralize Boko Haram. Second, the U.S. should pressure President Tinubu to make Sharia law unconstitutional in the twelve northern states that adopted it since 2000, and to disband Hisbah groups enforcing Islamic law on citizens regardless of their faith.”
Context: Renewed US Scrutiny of Nigeria
Tuesday’s briefing followed a separate congressional hearing on November 20 that also examined the surge in violence and Trump’s decision to redesignate Nigeria as a CPC.
Nigeria was first placed on the CPC list in 2020 under Trump but was removed by President Joe Biden the following year. On October 31, Trump reinstated the designation over what he described as worsening religious-freedom violations.
He warned that the U.S. could suspend aid—or even consider military action—if Nigeria does not take concrete steps to address what he called “Christian persecution.”
