Reported By Mary Udezue | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Washington, D.C. — Panels of the United States Congress have reconvened for a high-profile hearing this week to examine escalating insecurity and recurrent attacks targeting religious communities in Nigeria, renewing scrutiny of the West African nation’s security landscape and its implications for religious freedom. The joint session is being convened by the House Foreign Affairs Committee, with participation from the Subcommittee on Africa and the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, and comes amid sustained international concern over persistent violence affecting civilians, mass displacement and allegations of faith-based persecution.
Ahead of Wednesday’s hearing, titled “Defending Religious Freedom Around the World,” written testimonies from several witnesses were circulated to lawmakers. The submissions identify Nigeria as a major flashpoint in a broader global crisis of religious freedom, with recurring killings, insecurity and population displacement cited as indicators of mounting threats to vulnerable communities. Witnesses have warned that the combination of militancy, communal conflict and governance challenges could propel Nigeria toward deeper sectarian violence if unresolved.
Former U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback is among the witnesses whose prepared remarks were released ahead of the session. In his testimony, he described Nigeria as “the deadliest place on the planet to be a Christian” and cautioned that patterns of violence in multiple regions suggest a potential widening of religious conflict, with consequences extending beyond Nigeria’s borders. Brownback also raised concerns about external influences on the country’s security environment, arguing that support from states such as China, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Turkey could complicate efforts to stabilise the situation if not carefully managed.
Another witness expected to contribute to the deliberations is Dr. Stephen Schneck, former chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), who characterised freedom of religion or belief as facing a “historic crisis” worldwide. In his prepared testimony, Schneck linked deteriorating conditions in Nigeria, Syria and Sudan to weak governance structures and widespread insecurity that enable militants and criminal networks to exploit religious identity, leading to killings, forced displacement and prolonged instability.
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle emphasise that the hearing is intended to assess not only the security challenges affecting Nigeria but also the broader implications for human rights, international engagement and U.S. foreign policy objectives. Nigeria was redesignated in 2025 by the U.S. State Department as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) under the International Religious Freedom Act, a move that intensified debate in Washington and heightened diplomatic focus on conditions inside Nigeria. The CPC designation signals systematic, ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom and obliges U.S. policymakers to consider options ranging from diplomatic pressure to targeted sanctions.
Tuesday meetings in Washington reflected growing concern among U.S. lawmakers about the situation on the ground. Republican Representative Riley Moore held talks with Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang, focusing on insecurity in Nigeria’s North-Central region and the alleged persecution of Christian communities. Moore described the conversation as cordial and underlined his commitment to advancing cooperation between the United States and Nigeria on security and humanitarian challenges affecting vulnerable populations.
The congressional debate is occurring against the backdrop of Nigeria’s complex security environment, where jihadist insurgencies, criminal militias and communal clashes have inflicted widespread suffering on civilians over many years. Groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) remain active in northeastern states, contributing to death, kidnapping and displacement, while conflicts in the Middle Belt and northwest involve a mix of pastoralist militias, farmers and local communities in protracted cycles of violence. These dynamics have complicated efforts to categorise all incidents strictly as religious persecution, and Nigerian authorities have pushed back against claims that violence constitutes systematic targeting of any single group.
The Nigerian government, through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has in past hearings and official statements contested external portrayals of the security situation, stressing that attacks affect citizens of all faiths and arise from a complex mix of terrorism, banditry, communal clashes, climate pressures and resource competition. Abuja asserts its commitment to religious freedom and the rule of law, while highlighting its ongoing efforts to strengthen peace-building, security sector capacity and inter-faith cooperation.
Despite these official positions, U.S. legislators are using the current hearing to spotlight broader issues relating to human rights protections, accountability and the protection of religious minorities. Some members of Congress have suggested that selective or inadequate responses to violence may undermine Nigeria’s constitutional obligations and contribute to worsening conditions for vulnerable populations. Discussions are expected to explore potential avenues for U.S. support, including security cooperation, humanitarian assistance and diplomatic engagement aimed at addressing root causes of the insecurity and safeguarding civil liberties.
The testimony and debate in Washington mirror longstanding concerns among international civil liberties advocates, religious freedom organisations and some Nigerian civil society actors, who call for sustained, transparent and multi-faceted approaches to violence prevention and accountability. Lawmakers are anticipated to question witnesses on the effectiveness of current strategies, the adequacy of Nigerian government responses, and the role of external partners in supporting stability and human rights in the region.
As the joint session progresses, its outcomes may influence U.S. policy deliberations on foreign assistance, security cooperation frameworks and bilateral relations with Nigeria — particularly in light of upcoming elections and ongoing efforts to address chronic insecurity, displacement and the humanitarian dimensions of conflict. The hearing is expected to draw significant media and advocacy attention, with both critics and supporters of Nigeria’s government monitoring developments closely amid heightened international scrutiny.
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