United States lawmakers on Wednesday held a hearing to examine global threats to religious freedom, with Nigeria emerging as a major focus of concern. The session, convened by the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, revisited long-standing allegations of persecution against Christians in Nigeria—claims the Nigerian government has consistently denied.
Opening the hearing, Subcommittee Chairman Congressman Chris Smith cited the advocacy group Genocide Watch, describing Nigeria as “a killing field of defenceless Christians.” He welcomed the recent redesignation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) by the U.S. State Department, noting that the decision corrected what he called a previous lapse in U.S. foreign policy.
Although Smith acknowledged that Nigeria had taken “small steps” toward improvement, he sharply criticized recent lobbying efforts by Nigerian interests in Washington. He referenced reports of a $9 million contract between the Nigerian government and lobbying firm DCI Group, as well as a separate $120,000-per-month agreement involving a Nigerian security executive and Valcour Global. According to Smith, such efforts reinforce what he described as a persistent “culture of denial” among Nigerian officials.
The hearing also featured differing views on U.S. policy effectiveness. Congressman Joaquin Castro questioned the impact of U.S. military actions in Nigeria under the previous administration, arguing that they were framed as protecting Christians while assistance aimed at addressing religious discrimination was reduced.
Lawmakers further debated the implications of Nigeria’s CPC designation, with some describing it as a largely symbolic “name-and-shame” measure, while others maintained that it remains a vital tool for sustaining international attention on religious freedom concerns in the country.
