US Congress Reaffirms Tough Stance on Christian Persecution in Nigeria: “We Won’t Look Away”

Share this

…” the US committee added that “religious freedom and atrocity response are core components of our NSRP bill.”

ABUJA, NIGERIA- The iNews Times | The US House Appropriations Committee has reiterated its resolve to confront religious persecution across the globe, with Nigeria highlighted as a major concern, insisting that America “will not look away as innocent lives are taken.”

The committee made this known in a post on its official X handle on Wednesday, noting that protecting religious freedom remains a central focus of its National Security and Related Programs (NSRP) bill.

The committee noted in its post that, “Acting on President @POTUS’s directive, Appropriators carried out an on-the-ground mission to support a report on Christian persecution in Nigeria and to shape policy recommendations,” the committee added that “religious freedom and atrocity response are core components of our NSRP bill.”

This reaffirmation followed a fact-finding mission to Nigeria by a team of US appropriators operating under President Donald Trump’s instructions.

The visit was part of broader efforts to evaluate the state of religious violence and inform future actions by Congress.

Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, confirmed on Sunday that he hosted the delegation as part of ongoing security consultations between both nations.

Ribadu said the talks built on earlier engagements in Washington and centred on “counter-terrorism cooperation, regional stability,” and deepening an already “strategic security partnership.”

Rep. Riley Moore, a member of the delegation, described the trip as “a very productive visit to Nigeria” in a post on X.

During the mission, Moore also met with Tiv and Catholic leaders in Benue State, one of the regions hardest hit by recurring attacks.

The congressional visit comes amid rising diplomatic frictions triggered by the Trump administration’s recent redesignation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern over alleged violations of religious freedom, a move that has reignited debates about potential consequences, including military intervention.

The Federal Government has consistently denied the allegations, arguing that insecurity affects citizens of all religious backgrounds.

On November 20, Ribadu met US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon to discuss joint strategies for addressing Nigeria’s worsening security situation.

That same day, the House Subcommittee on Africa convened a public hearing on the implications of the redesignation.