US Lawmakers List Seven Urgent Measures to Tackle Alleged Christian Persecution in Nigeria
- US lawmakers held a joint hearing in Washington and declared that violence against Christians in Nigeria showed signs of targeted persecution
- Experts and congressional leaders presented seven major proposals urging the US government to pressure Nigeria on justice, accountability and constitutional reforms
- The session followed President Trump’s directive for a full review into the “slaughter of Christians” and a comprehensive report on the crisis
Growing concern over the widening wave of attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria drew American lawmakers, diplomats and foreign policy experts to a joint congressional briefing in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, December 2, where they examined the scale of the violence and outlined steps they believe the United States must take.
The session took place after President Donald Trump ordered a formal review into what he described as the “slaughter of Christians” and directed Congress to produce a comprehensive report, Vanguard reported.
Source: Twitter
Speakers at the hearing argued that the long-running crisis could no longer be framed as routine clashes or competition for land.
They said the pattern of killings, the regions affected and the identity of the victims showed clear signs of targeted persecution that had continued because perpetrators faced no consequences.
Here are seven major key points notable from the hearing:
1. Congress seeks to deploy policy through funding
Leading the discussion, House Appropriations Vice Chair and National Security Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart reaffirmed that defending global religious liberty remained a central American interest.
He said his committee would use the federal budget to advance policies that guaranteed the right of individuals to live according to their faith without fear. He also confirmed plans to embed specific provisions addressing Nigeria’s situation into the FY26 funding bill and push for a full-year appropriations package that carried these commitments.
Rep. Díaz-Balart described the protection of vulnerable religious communities as both a moral duty and an essential part of America’s foreign policy posture.
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2. Lawmakers demand justice and disarmament
Rep. Brian Mast, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, presented a stark view of the armed groups driving the violence. He argued that Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province and radicalized Fulani militants shared the goal of forcing Christians from ancestral territories to impose an extremist ideological system.
Mast urged the Nigerian government to take immediate action. He called for the disarmament of the militias. He insisted that displaced families be returned home. He demanded that those responsible for attacks be prosecuted.
3. Push for accountability and firmer US action
Rep. Chris Smith, who leads the House Foreign Affairs Africa Subcommittee, described Nigeria as the “ground zero of religious violence.” He stated that the Nigerian government had a constitutional responsibility to protect its citizens and argued that it had fallen short of this duty.
He said he was confident the United States would “hold the Nigerian government accountable for its complicity in the rampant religious persecution” under President Trump’s direction. He warned that delay would cost more lives.
4. Calls for solidarity with persecuted communities
Rep. Robert Aderholt said the crisis demanded urgent attention from the United States. He noted that targeted attacks on Christians had persisted for years and insisted that Washington must stand with vulnerable communities in Nigeria and with persecuted believers globally.
Aderholt said the US must not disengage at a time when violence continued to escalate across multiple regions.
5. Ending global silence on Nigeria’s crisis
Rep. Riley Moore told the hearing that President Trump had instructed him and the House Committee on Appropriations to fully investigate the situation. He expressed gratitude for the detailed testimony provided at the session and said the international community “will no longer turn a blind eye” to the persecution of Christians in Nigeria.
He added that Washington must speak clearly and push consistently for change.
6. Expert calls terror the gravest threat
Dr. Ebenezer Obadare of the Council on Foreign Relations described jihadist violence as the most severe threat facing Nigeria. He said any solution that failed to confront Boko Haram’s capabilities head-on was impossible to sustain. He called for a joint strategy between the US and Nigeria to weaken the group’s operational capacity.
Obadare proposed a two-part agenda. He said Washington should work with the Nigerian military to neutralize Boko Haram. He also said the US should pressure President Tinubu to make Sharia law unconstitutional in the twelve northern states that adopted it in 2000 and disband Hisbah groups enforcing religious codes on citizens.
7. Improving accountability and leveraging American aid
The final submission came from Hon. Vicky Hartzler, Chair of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom. She warned that Nigeria’s instability had reached a critical threshold and urged Washington to push for transparency and stronger governance in Abuja.
Hartzler listed a series of actions the US could take. She recommended closer cooperation with Nigerian authorities, greater use of American security assistance, increased investment in early warning systems and ongoing technical support to counter insurgent groups.
'US pursuing personal agenda' – Dambazau
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Lieutenant-General Abdulrahman Dambazau, former Chief of Army Staff (COAS) of Nigeria, said the US might be preparing to set up a military base in Nigeria.
Dambazau shared his thoughts at the seventh annual public lecture of the Just Friends Club of Nigeria in Abuja while addressing his country’s security challenges.
Source: Legit.ng
