Nigeria is under international scrutiny as the US House of Representatives Subcommittee on Africa prepares to hold a hearing on Thursday, November 20, 2025, to examine President Donald Trump’s designation of the country as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) for alleged religious persecution.
The CPC label, if confirmed by the US Senate, could pave the way for targeted sanctions against Nigerian officials implicated in violence against Christians and restrict certain forms of US aid. The move signals growing concern in Washington over the state of religious freedom in Nigeria.
The hearing, chaired by Representative Chris Smith (R‑NJ), will begin at 11:00 a.m. at Room 2172 of the Rayburn House Office Building and will be livestreamed. Two panels of witnesses will provide testimony, including US State Department officials, Nigerian religious leaders, and experts on religious freedom. Among the speakers are 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; Bishop Wilfred Anagbe of Makurdi Catholic Diocese; Nina Shea, Director of the Centre for Religious Freedom; and Oge Onubogu of the Centre for Strategic & International Studies.
The hearings follow reports of repeated attacks on Christians by Islamist extremists and Fulani herdsmen in Nigeria, including killings, kidnappings, and church burnings. Bishop Anagbe, who will testify, has previously highlighted these attacks, describing homes destroyed, priests killed, and communities forced into displacement camps in Benue State.
Trump cited these attacks when redesignating Nigeria as a CPC on October 31, 2025. He warned that the US could withhold aid or take military action if Nigeria failed 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 country, ‘guns‑a‑blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic terrorists committing these atrocities,” Trump said.
President Bola Tinubu rejected the claims, calling them inaccurate and unrepresentative of Nigeria’s religious reality. In a statement, he reaffirmed Nigeria’s constitutional commitment to religious freedom and tolerance, insisting that the government opposes persecution in all forms.
US lawmakers, however, remain concerned. Congressman Riley Moore (R‑WV) said Christians are disproportionately targeted in Nigeria, citing a five-to-one Christian-to-Muslim death ratio in attacks. He added that Trump’s CPC designation allows the US to use sanctions and financial restrictions, with military options available if necessary.
Domestically, the Nigerian government is taking steps to address tensions. 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 the destruction of a farm in Gyel district, were resolved peacefully with compensation and agreements to maintain harmony.
As the US Congress examines evidence and potential responses, Nigeria faces heightened international pressure to protect religious freedom and curb violence against its citizens.
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