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By DAYO ADESULU
Congress Accuses Abuja of Downplaying Crisis, Cites Targeted Killings and Worsening Insecurity
U.S. lawmakers have delivered a strong rebuke to the Nigerian government, insisting that escalating attacks on Nigerian Christians can no longer be dismissed as random violence or communal conflict. During a rare joint congressional briefing in Washington on Wednesday, members of key committees described the bloodshed as “escalating,” “targeted,” and overwhelmingly directed at Christian communities across several regions of the country.
The closed-door session, convened by House Appropriations Vice Chair Mario Díaz-Balart, forms part of a Trump-ordered investigation into religious persecution in Nigeria. Former President Donald Trump directed lawmakers—including Reps. Riley Moore and Tom Cole—to compile an extensive report on the persecution of Nigerian Christians, even suggesting that the U.S. could consider military action against extremist groups linked to the killings.
‘Religious Freedom is Under Siege’ — USCIRF Chair Warns
At the heart of the briefing was a stark presentation by Vicky Hartzler, Chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). She warned that Nigeria is witnessing a “deeply troubling period” of intensified attacks marked by mass abductions, assaults on villages, and widespread destruction of churches.
According to Hartzler, radical groups are targeting Christians “at a 2.2 to 1 rate” compared with Muslims. She referenced mass kidnappings of schoolchildren, brutal village raids, and killings she described as “rampant, violent, and religiously driven.”
Although Hartzler acknowledged Nigeria’s recent redeployment of 100,000 police officers from VIP protection, she insisted that the move—while positive—is not nearly enough.
She pushed for:
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Targeted U.S. sanctions
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Visa restrictions
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Asset freezes
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Tighter conditions on U.S. aid
She argued that Abuja must reclaim villages seized from Christian communities, so widows, children, and other displaced residents can return home safely.
CFR Scholar Rejects Abuja’s Narrative as ‘A Myth’
One of the briefing’s most forceful interventions came from Dr. Ebenezer Obadare of the Council on Foreign Relations. He dismissed the Nigerian government’s repeated claim that extremists attack Muslims and Christians equally.
He called that narrative “a myth,” insisting that the groups at the centre of the violence—including Boko Haram and other jihadist movements—are motivated “for one reason and one reason only: religion.” Where Muslim casualties appear higher, Obadare said, the explanation is geography rather than equal targeting.
Obadare also criticised Nigeria’s security structure, describing the military as “too corrupt and incompetent” to defeat entrenched jihadist networks without significant external pressure. He urged Washington to push Nigeria to:
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Disband armed religious militias
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Confront corruption within the security forces
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Respond faster to early-warning intelligence
‘Deadliest Country for Christians’ — ADF International Testifies
Another contributor, Sean Nelson of ADF International, described Nigeria as “the deadliest country in the world for Christians.” He claimed more Christians are killed in Nigeria than in all other countries combined, insisting that Christians are killed at a population-adjusted rate “five times higher” than Muslims.
Nelson acknowledged that extremists also target Muslims who reject violent jihadist beliefs, but argued that this does not diminish the reality of discriminatory and coordinated attacks on Christian communities.
He urged tighter monitoring of U.S. financial assistance, proposing that some aid be channeled through reputable faith-based organisations rather than government institutions to minimise corruption. Without external pressure and transparency, he warned, “nothing changes.”
Congress Pushes Back at Biden-Era Policy Shift
Díaz-Balart criticized the Biden administration for reversing Trump’s 2020 designation of Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” (CPC). He described the reversal as a decision that has had “clearly deadly consequences,” suggesting it weakened international pressure on Abuja.
Lawmakers from the Appropriations, Foreign Affairs, and Financial Services committees signaled that more oversight actions will follow as they prepare the Trump-mandated report on escalating attacks on Nigerian Christians.
Calls for Transparency and Genuine Political Will
Hartzler referenced recent comments by Nigeria’s Speaker of the House acknowledging a “coordinated and deeply troubling period of escalated violence.” She described the admission as rare, but warned that public statements alone are insufficient.
She welcomed the redeployment of police officers as “a promising start,” but urged Abuja to:
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Act on early warnings
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Demonstrate genuine political will
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Tackle injustice at the roots
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Ensure transparency in rescue and response efforts
Nigeria Yet to Respond
As the congressional pressure mounts, the Nigerian Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
With escalating attacks on Nigerian Christians dominating U.S. congressional scrutiny, the stage is set for heightened diplomatic friction—alongside renewed calls for Abuja to confront the crisis with urgency, clarity, and accountability.
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