By Obinna Uballa
Nigeria faces mounting international scrutiny as the United States House of Representatives Subcommittee on Africa prepares to hold an open hearing on Thursday, November 20, 2025, examining President Donald Trump’s designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for alleged religious freedom violations.
Observers say the CPC designation, if ratified by the Senate, could trigger targeted sanctions on Nigerian officials implicated in the persecution of Christians and limit some forms of US assistance. It also signals deep concern over religious freedom in Nigeria to the global community.
The hearing, scheduled for 11:00 a.m. at Room 2172 of the Rayburn House Office Building and available via live webcast, will be chaired by Representative Chris Smith (R‑NJ). Witnesses will include senior US State Department officials, Nigerian religious leaders, and experts on religious freedom. Key panelists include Jonathan Pratt, Senior Bureau Official of the Bureau of African Affairs; Jacob McGee, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor; Nina Shea, Director of the Centre for Religious Freedom; Bishop Wilfred Anagbe of Makurdi Catholic Diocese; and Oge Onubogu of the Centre for Strategic & International Studies.
Congressional attention comes amid reports of repeated attacks on Christian communities by Islamist extremists and Fulani herdsmen, including killings, kidnappings, and destruction of churches. Bishop Anagbe, who will testify, has previously highlighted violence in Benue State, describing villagers forced into displacement camps, homes destroyed, and priests and lay members killed.
President Trump designated Nigeria a CPC on October 31, citing alleged severe violations of religious freedom. He warned that the US could impose sanctions, withhold aid, or even consider military action if the Nigerian government fails to protect Christians. “If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the USA will immediately stop all aid and assistance… and may very well go into that now‑disgraced country, ‘guns‑a‑blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic terrorists committing these atrocities,” Trump said.
President Bola Tinubu, however, rejected the characterization, describing it as a misrepresentation of Nigeria’s religious reality. In a statement on X, he affirmed Nigeria’s constitutional commitment to religious freedom, insisting that the country opposes persecution and encourages tolerance.
US lawmakers remain unconvinced. Congressman Riley Moore (R‑WV) told Fox News that Christians are disproportionately targeted in Nigeria, estimating a five-to-one death ratio of Christians versus Muslims in attacks. He stressed the US has a duty to act and that Trump’s CPC designation “unlocks different levels the President can use against that country, including sanctions and restricting financial flows, with military options on the table.”
While international attention grows, the Nigerian government has sought to mitigate tensions domestically. President Tinubu dispatched Dr Abiodun Essiet, Senior Special Assistant on Community Engagement in the North Central Zone, to Plateau State to mediate between Christian clerics and Fulani Miyetti Allah leaders. During the visit, local disputes, including farm destruction in Gyel district, were peacefully resolved with compensation and commitments to maintain harmony.
It was gathered that the US congressional hearing will examine evidence of religious persecution in Nigeria and consider potential policy responses, including targeted sanctions, humanitarian assistance, and diplomatic engagement.
