U.S. lawmakers were urged on Tuesday to push the Nigerian government to abolish Sharia law in northern states and disband Hisbah religious police forces, amid warnings that these structures are fueling systematic persecution of Christians.
At a joint House briefing—convened in response to former President Donald Trump’s October directive and Nigeria’s redesignation as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC)—Dr. Ebenezer Obadare, Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, testified that extremist groups such as Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), and radicalised Fulani militants exploit Sharia-based systems and Hisbah officials to enforce extremist ideology, compel religious conversions, and operate with near-total impunity.
Obadare outlined a two-pronged strategy for U.S. engagement, saying in testimony quoted by the House Appropriations Committee: “First, work with the Nigerian military to neutralise Boko Haram. Second, 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.”
He acknowledged that U.S. pressure had prompted some action from Abuja. Since Nigeria’s CPC redesignation—and Trump’s threat of unilateral military action—President Bola Tinubu has ordered intensified airstrikes against Boko Haram, approved the recruitment of 30,000 additional police officers, and recently declared a national security emergency.
Still, Obadare insisted that “Washington must keep up the pressure.”
Lawmakers Accuse Nigerian Govt of Complicity
The bipartisan session, led by Appropriations Vice Chair Mario Díaz-Balart (R-FL) and supported by the House Foreign Affairs Committee, featured repeated accusations that the Nigerian government is virtually complicit in what lawmakers called ongoing “religious cleansing” across the north and Middle Belt.
Witnesses highlighted the recent abduction of students and teachers from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Niger State, the continued imprisonment of citizens under blasphemy laws, and mass killings in rural communities—rejecting the narrative that the violence stems solely from disputes over land or resources.
Obadare underscored the root cause of the crisis: “The deadliest threat facing Nigeria today is jihadist terror manifested in Boko Haram. Their goal is to overthrow the Nigerian state and establish an Islamic caliphate. Any proposal that does not prioritise degrading and eliminating Boko Haram is a non-starter.”
Calls for Accountability and Sanctions
Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) described Nigeria as “ground zero” for global anti-Christian persecution, while Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL) demanded the disarmament of militias and prosecution of perpetrators.
U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Chair Vicky Hartzler and Alliance Defending Freedom International’s Sean Nelson detailed recent atrocities and urged Washington to use targeted sanctions, enhanced monitoring systems, and security-aid leverage to force accountability.
Both Republicans and Democrats signaled support for Díaz-Balart’s FY26 appropriations language addressing Nigeria’s crisis. Lawmakers revealed that the Appropriations Committee is preparing a formal report to President Trump with recommendations, including potential conditions on U.S. assistance.
Context and Previous Actions
The hearing follows the Trump administration’s recent redesignation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern—a status first applied in 2020 but later removed by President Joe Biden. On October 31, Nigeria was placed back on the list over escalating religious freedom violations.
Trump has since warned that the U.S. may suspend aid or intervene militarily if the Nigerian government fails to curb what he called “Christian persecution.”
This week’s briefing also follows a November 20 House Subcommittee hearing on Nigeria’s CPC status, which featured testimony from senior U.S. State Department officials and Nigerian religious leaders.
The growing consensus in Congress is that rolling back Sharia criminal codes in northern Nigeria and dismantling Hisbah enforcement units are essential steps to ending one of the world’s most lethal religious-persecution crises.
