WASHINGTON, USA — US lawmakers have sharply criticised the Nigerian government for what they described as its failure to tackle rising insecurity and killings across the country, particularly attacks linked to alleged persecution of Christians.
Their comments came during a joint congressional briefing of the United States House Appropriations Committee on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, held against the backdrop of President Donald Trump’s recent redesignation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC).
Speaking at the briefing, Congressman Chris Smith, Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Africa Subcommittee, accused Nigerian authorities of neglecting their constitutional responsibility to protect citizens.
“The Nigerian government has a fundamental, constitutional obligation to protect its citizens; however, the perpetrators of this persecution operate with complete impunity,” Smith said.
He warned that the US would hold Nigeria accountable for ongoing violence.
“The Nigerian government is trying to run out the clock; we cannot allow this to happen. We must act quickly and decisively to save more lives.”
Congressman Brian Mast echoed the concerns and supported Trump’s decision to redesignate Nigeria as a CPC.
“We must demand that the Nigerian government disarm these militias, return displaced families to their homes, and bring the perpetrators to justice,” he said.
Riley Moore, Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Legislative Branch Subcommittee and a prominent religious liberty advocate, reinforced the allegations, saying: “The world will no longer turn a blind eye to the persecution of Christians in Nigeria.”
Beyond lawmakers, the session also featured testimony from Vicky Hartzler, Chair of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).
Hartzler criticised Nigerian authorities for ignoring warnings of impending attacks.
“Resources could also be invested in using early warning systems to reduce community violence,” she said, urging the US to insist on accountability from Nigerian officials.
“Too many times, local villagers learn of an impending attack and reach out for protection, only to have their cries for help ignored to their ultimate demise. Worse yet, there are stories of law enforcement being called during an attack, and yet no help is sent. This is unacceptable!”
Ebenezer Obadare, Douglas Dillon Senior Fellow for Africa Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, pointed to jihadist groups, particularly Boko Haram, as the root of Nigeria’s worsening security crisis.
He argued that Trump’s pressure had begun to yield results, citing calls in Nigeria for more security recruitment and a national security emergency declaration.
“Washington must keep up the pressure,” Obadare said.
“The policy goal should be two-fold: first, work with the Nigerian military to neutralise Boko Haram. Second, the United States should put pressure on President Tinubu to make Sharia law unconstitutional in the twelve northern states where it has been adopted since 2000 and disband the various Hisbah groups across northern states seeking to enforce and impose Islamic law on all citizens regardless of their religious identity.”
Tuesday, December 2, 2025’s briefing followed an earlier congressional hearing on November 20 examining the rising violence in Nigeria and Trump’s CPC designation.
Nigeria was first designated under the CPC category in 2020, but President Joe Biden removed it from the list during his term.
However, on Friday, October 31, 2025, Trump reinstated the designation, citing religious freedom violations, and threatened possible military action if Nigeria failed to act.
He has also suggested halting aid and assistance unless the Federal Government addresses what he described as widespread persecution of Christians.
The Nigerian government has yet to formally respond to the latest congressional criticism, though senior officials have previously denied claims of religiously motivated persecution and insisted that insecurity affects communities across religious and ethnic lines.
