The United States House of Representatives has urged President Donald Trump to impose sanctions on Nigeria in response to the increasing killings of Christians in the country. The call for action emerged during a congressional hearing that examined the growing religious persecution affecting Christian communities and other minorities in Nigeria. During the session, lawmakers and experts presented reports that outlined the scale of attacks against Christians. A recent publication by the Observatory for Religious Freedom in Africa revealed that Nigerians make up 90 percent of all Christians killed worldwide each year.
Furthermore, the report documented that from October 2019 to September 2023, over 55,910 people lost their lives due to extremist violence, while 21,000 others were abducted by terrorist organisations operating in the region. The hearing further detailed the relentless attacks carried out by Islamist extremists, including Boko Haram and jihadist Fulani herders, which have resulted in thousands of deaths and mass displacement. Legislators strongly criticised the formal American President Joe Biden administration for removing the country from the Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) list, arguing that the decision was unjustified given the deteriorating conditions.
Lawmakers push to reinstate the region designation as a CPC.
Due to the continued violence against Christian communities, the committee emphasised that the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom had repeatedly recommended keeping the nation on the CPC list. The discussion further revisited a decision made in December 2020, when Nigeria was first designated a CPC under President Trump’s administration. However, Secretary of State Antony Blinken revoked the designation in November 2021, which raised concern among religious leaders and Human Rights advocates. They argue that the federal government has failed to uphold its constitutional obligation to protect religious freedom.
Representative Chris Smith, a vocal advocate for religious freedom and author of the Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act, has been at the forefront of efforts to push for renewed action. He previously introduced a resolution urging the Biden administration to redesignate the region as a CPC, but the resolution stalled before reaching a vote in the House. In March 2025, Smith reintroduced the resolution as H. Res. 220, expressing confidence that a potential second Trump administration would take decisive action to address the crisis.
Reports of mass displacement and systemic targeting of Christians.
According to estimates, about five million people, mostly Christians, have been forced into Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps or refugee settlements. Reports indicate that Islamist extremists have killed at least 52,000 Christians, while an estimated 34,000 moderate non-Fulani Muslims have also fallen victim to religiously motivated attacks since 2009. Bishop Wilfred Anagbe of the Diocese of Makurdi detailed a long-term strategy to erode the Christian identity in the country. He described systemic exclusion from positions of power, widespread land seizures, and brutal attacks targeting Christian populations, including kidnappings, rapes, and massacres.
Human rights organisations and religious freedom advocates have also criticised the Western media for failing to adequately report on the crisis unfolding in the country. Experts point to an ongoing trend of downplaying the severity of the violence against Christians, particularly in comparison to other global human rights issues. Nina Shea, Director of the Center for Religious Freedom at the Hudson Institute, described the nation as the deadliest country in the world for Christians, noting the threat posed by militant Fulani herders who continue to target Middle Belt farming communities. Former U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Chair Tony Perkins echoed these concerns.
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With the pressure mounting, attention now turns to the potential response from President Trump. They further argue that reinstating the region’s CPC designation would send a strong message to the Nigerian government and force authorities to take greater measures to protect religious minorities. They believe that economic and diplomatic pressure could play a key role in curbing extremist violence and ensuring justice for the victims of religious persecution. The ongoing crisis in Nigeria remains one of the most pressing human rights concerns in Africa, with countless families mourning the loss of loved ones and entire communities displaced due to relentless attacks.