Witnesses appearing before the United States Congress Foreign Affairs Committee have raised concerns that Nigeria risks escalating Christian–Muslim conflict, identifying the country as a key hotspot in a growing global religious freedom crisis.
The warnings emerged in written testimonies released ahead of a joint hearing convened by the House Subcommittee on Africa and the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, titled “Defending Religious Freedom Around the World.” The hearing, scheduled for Wednesday, will examine increasing threats to religious freedom globally, with Nigeria highlighted as a major flashpoint.
Scheduled witnesses include former US Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback, Mark Walker, Principal Advisor for Global Religious Freedom at the US State Department, Grace Drexel, daughter of detained Chinese pastor Ezra Jin, and Dr. Stephen Schneck, former chair of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).
In his testimony, Brownback warned that radical, militant Islam continues efforts to dominate regions across the Middle East, North Africa, and beyond, singling out Syria and Nigeria as critical areas of concern.
“The faith communities being targeted are America’s key allies in promoting freedom worldwide. We must recognise and support them accordingly,” Brownback said, emphasizing that Nigeria has become one of the deadliest countries for Christians.
He cautioned that patterns of violence in Nigeria point to a widening religious crisis, which could have implications far beyond the country’s borders. Brownback also raised concerns about foreign involvement from countries like China, Russia, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia potentially worsening instability if not carefully managed.
Dr. Schneck described freedom of religion as being in a “historic crisis” worldwide, driven by rising authoritarianism, religious nationalism, and weak governance. He identified Nigeria, Syria, and Sudan as countries where insecurity and poor governance have created dangerous conditions for religious communities.
“Nigeria and Syria are facing high levels of societal insecurity, and their governments have struggled to halt widespread violence against faith communities,” Schneck wrote. He highlighted how armed groups, insurgents, and criminal networks exploit religious identities, leading to killings, displacement, and long-term instability.
Schneck also criticized the US government’s implementation of the International Religious Freedom Act (1998), noting a gap between rhetoric and tangible action. He expressed concern over delays in issuing updated reports and designations for Countries of Particular Concern, Special Watch List countries, and Entities of Particular Concern, stressing that selective advocacy for Christians alone undermines the effectiveness of international human rights law.
Last year, former US President Donald Trump redesignated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) due to alleged religious freedom violations, a move accompanied by threats of potential US military action. Subsequent US operations included attacks on terrorist hideouts in Sokoto during Christmas 2025.
The Nigerian government, however, has rejected claims of systemic persecution, insisting that insecurity affects citizens of all faiths. Diplomatic engagement has continued, including meetings between US officials and Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to coordinate counter-terrorism strategies and strengthen bilateral security partnerships.
The testimonies underline concerns that without sustained attention and coordinated action, Nigeria could face worsening religious violence with consequences for regional stability and international security.
