United States lawmakers have accused Nigeria’s government of dragging its feet on measures to halt the country’s alleged persecution of Christians.
On Tuesday, parliamentarians held a roundtable to discuss the country’s growing violence and what they call targeted persecution of Christians.
The hearing was attended by Mario Díaz-Balart, vice chair of the House Appropriations Committee and chairman of the National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Subcommittee; Robert Aderholt, chairman of the Labor, Health, Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee and chair of the Values Action Team (VAT); and Riley Moore, vice chair of the Appropriations Legislative Branch Subcommittee and prominent religious liberty advocate.
Other attendees included Brian Mast, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee; Chris Smith, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Africa Subcommittee; Vicky Hartzler, chair of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom; Sean Nelson, Alliance Defending Freedom International; and Ebenezer Obadare, Council on Foreign Relations.
During the meetings, Smith stated both Christians and “moderate” Muslims in Nigeria face continual threats of murder, rape, and torture from extreme Islamist groups such as Boko Haram and Fulani jihadists.
“The most brutal and murderous anti-Christian persecution in the world — as well as the systemic targeting and killing of moderate Muslims who speak out against radical Islamists or refuse to conform with their extreme ideals — occurs in Nigeria, the ground zero of religious violence,” he said.
The legislator went on to say that the Nigerian government has a constitutional commitment to protect its citizens but has failed because the “perpetrators of this persecution operate with complete impunity.”
“The United States is committed to standing firmly with the persecuted, no matter where in the world. Under the strong leadership of President Trump, I am confident that the United States will hold the Nigerian government accountable for its complicity in the rampant religious persecution occurring within its borders,” he said.
“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.”
Díaz-Balart emphasized the need of safeguarding religious liberty as part of America’s foreign policy.
“No one should live in fear because of how they worship,” the preacher stated.
Díaz-Balart, who chairs the subcommittee that funds US national security goals and foreign policy initiatives, plans to address the situation by enacting a full-year funding provision in the FY26 budget bill.
The legislator stated that it is critical to pursuing an ‘America First’ agenda.
