By Muhammad Mamman
The United States Congress has convened a high-level joint hearing to examine what lawmakers describe as the “targeted persecution of Christians” in Nigeria, amid rising concerns over religiously motivated violence and the country’s worsening insecurity.
The hearing, held on Capitol Hill, brought together members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, human rights advocates, security experts, and representatives of international religious-freedom organisations. Testimonies presented highlighted a pattern of attacks in several regions of Nigeria, particularly in the Middle Belt and parts of the North, where communities have faced deadly assaults allegedly linked to extremist groups and armed militias.
Lawmakers expressed deep concern over what they termed a “consistent failure” to protect vulnerable Christian communities from mass killings, kidnappings, and village-level raids. Several speakers urged the US government to reassess Nigeria’s designation in its annual religious freedom reports, emphasising that the issue has reached a level requiring urgent international attention.
Human rights experts at the hearing stressed that while violence affects people of all faiths in Nigeria, Christian populations in certain regions have experienced disproportionate levels of targeted attacks. They called for stronger diplomatic pressure on the Nigerian government, improved monitoring of human-rights violations, and expanded support for victims.
The Nigerian government has previously denied allegations of religious persecution, insisting that insecurity in the country is driven largely by criminality, terrorism, and resource-based conflicts rather than faith-based motives.
US lawmakers, however, argued that the patterns presented during the hearing warrant immediate action. They recommended enhanced cooperation between Washington and Abuja, targeted sanctions against perpetrators, and increased humanitarian support for displaced communities.
The joint hearing forms part of a broader push within the US Congress to address global religious-freedom concerns and ensure accountability for countries failing to safeguard vulnerable groups.
The committee is expected to issue a detailed report outlining policy recommendations following the conclusion of the hearings.
