The concerns were raised on Thursday, November 12, during a US House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa hearing chaired by Chris Smith, which examined Nigeria’s efforts to address attacks on vulnerable communities following the designation.
Smith described the CPC designation as a “wake-up call for Nigeria” and called on the government to strengthen protections for religious communities, particularly Christians targeted by armed groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
Riley Barnes, a US State Department official overseeing democracy, human rights and labour issues, acknowledged that Nigeria had taken steps to tackle the violence but said the measures had yet to translate into improved security for Christian communities in the Middle Belt.
“There are still rising death tolls and kidnappings. So, I think we have this posture of trust but verify,” Barnes said.
Frank Garcia, a State Department official responsible for African affairs, said Washington had been working closely with Nigerian authorities to address attacks against Christian communities and ensure perpetrators are held accountable. However, he acknowledged that the violence had persisted despite those efforts.
Meanwhile, Republican Representative Riley Moore urged the US government to maintain Nigeria’s CPC designation and closely monitor the country’s forthcoming presidential election.
“We cannot take this CPC designation off this country. They have not done enough,” Moore said.
Smith said Congress would consider additional measures to address the ongoing violence and prevent further attacks on Christian communities across Nigeria.
