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United States lawmakers held a hearing on Wednesday to examine global threats to religious freedom, with Nigeria taking center stage. The session, conducted by the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, revisited long-standing allegations of persecution against Christians in Nigeria—claims consistently denied by Nigerian authorities.
Congressman Chris Smith, chairman of the subcommittee, opened the hearing with stark remarks, citing the organization Genocide Watch in describing Nigeria as “a killing field of defenseless Christians.” He also praised the U.S. State Department’s recent decision to redesignate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), stating, “That wrong in our foreign policy has been righted with the President’s CPC designation. We commend and thank him for that action.”
While acknowledging that Nigeria had made “small steps” toward improving conditions, Smith criticized recent lobbying efforts by Nigerian entities aimed at influencing U.S. policy. He cited a reported $9 million contract between Nigeria and the lobbying firm DCI Group, as well as a separate $120,000-per-month deal involving a Nigerian security executive and the firm Valcour Global. “They hire these firms; they come up with their very well-written talking points to say nothing to see here,” Smith said, suggesting these efforts reflect “a culture of denial by Nigerian officials.”
The hearing also sparked debate over the effectiveness of U.S. policy in Nigeria. Congressman Joaquin Castro questioned the impact of previous U.S. military strikes, arguing that they were carried out under the guise of “protecting Christians” while actual assistance to combat discrimination against religious communities was being cut.
Lawmakers discussed the practical implications of Nigeria’s CPC status. Some characterized it as a largely symbolic “name and shame” measure, while others maintained that it ensures continued international attention on religious persecution in the country.
