Nigeria is set to feature prominently on Wednesday as the United States Congress Foreign Affairs Committee holds a joint hearing on global religious freedom, amid allegations of persistent violence against Christians and the recent deployment of a small team of American military officers to the country.
The hearing, titled Defending religious freedom around the world, is being convened by the House Subcommittee on Africa and the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere to assess what US lawmakers describe as growing threats to religious freedom across several regions.
Written testimonies released ahead of the session warn that Nigeria’s ongoing insecurity, killings and displacement could deepen religious divisions if not urgently addressed.
Among those scheduled to testify are former US Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, Sam Brownback; the Principal Advisor for Global Religious Freedom at the US State Department, Mark Walker; Grace Drexel, daughter of detained Chinese pastor Ezra Jin; and Dr Stephen Schneck, former chair of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom.
In his prepared remarks, Brownback described Nigeria as “the deadliest place on the planet to be a Christian,” arguing that militant Islamist groups operating across Africa and the Middle East are increasingly active within the country. He urged US policymakers to treat threatened faith communities as strategic partners in promoting freedom.
Brownback also expressed concern about foreign involvement in Nigeria’s security environment, mentioning countries such as China, Russia, Turkey and Saudi Arabia as potential complicating factors.
Schneck, in his testimony, said freedom of religion or belief is facing a “historic crisis” globally due to authoritarianism, religious nationalism and weak governance. He listed Nigeria alongside Syria and Sudan as examples where insecurity has left faith communities exposed to violence.
He cautioned against reducing the issue to Christian persecution alone, stressing that international religious freedom protections apply to all faiths. Schneck also criticised what he termed inconsistent implementation of the US International Religious Freedom Act.
The congressional focus comes amid heightened diplomatic and military engagement between Nigeria and the United States.
Last year, US President Donald Trump redesignated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern over alleged religious freedom violations. That decision was followed by US airstrikes on suspected extremist targets in Sokoto State on December 25, 2025, aimed at Islamic State-linked fighters.
On Tuesday, the commander of US Africa Command, General Dagvin R.M. Anderson, confirmed that a small team of US military officers has been sent to Nigeria. He said the move followed discussions with President Bola Tinubu and is intended to enhance intelligence sharing and support Nigeria’s counter-terrorism operations.
According to Anderson, the American team brings specialised capabilities to complement Nigeria’s efforts, although details of their arrival and mission were not disclosed.
The development marks an expansion of security cooperation between the two countries, coming amid repeated claims by President Trump that Nigeria has failed to adequately protect its Christian population.
The Nigerian government, however, has rejected allegations of systemic Christian persecution, maintaining that insurgent and criminal groups attack citizens irrespective of their religion.
Officials argue that the country’s security challenges stem from terrorism, banditry and organised crime, citing the activities of Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province and armed bandits across several regions.
Recent attacks have nonetheless drawn international attention. Last month, gunmen assaulted three churches in Kaduna State, abducting 168 worshippers in coordinated attacks that highlighted the scale of insecurity in parts of northern Nigeria.
Amid the diplomatic tension, Nigeria has stepped up engagement with US officials. National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu recently hosted a US congressional delegation in Abuja for talks focused on counter-terrorism cooperation and regional stability.
A plenary session of the Nigeria–US Joint Working Group on Nigeria’s Country of Particular Concern designation was also held to address concerns and improve mutual understanding.
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