U.S. lawmakers on the House Appropriations and Foreign Affairs committees held a rare joint briefing on Tuesday as part of an ongoing congressional inquiry into what they describe as rising, targeted violence against Christians in Nigeria.
The meeting, led by House Appropriations Vice Chair and National Security Subcommittee Chairman Mario Díaz-Balart (R-Fla.), forms part of a broader investigation ordered by former President Donald Trump. The effort focuses on recent mass killings of Nigerian Christians and potential U.S. policy measures that could compel the Nigerian government to respond more decisively.
Trump tasked Congress—under the leadership of Reps. Riley Moore (R-W.Va.) and Appropriations Chair Tom Cole (R-Okla.)—to examine allegations of Christian persecution in Nigeria and submit a report to the White House. He has also suggested the possibility of direct U.S. military intervention against extremist groups responsible for killings.
At the briefing, Vicky Hartzler, who chairs the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, warned that “religious freedom is under siege.” She cited the abduction of more than 300 children and incidents where “radical Muslims wipe out Christian villages and burn churches.”
‘Rampant and Violent Violations’
Hartzler said religious persecution in Nigeria remains “rampant” and disproportionately impacts Christians, who she argued are targeted at more than double the rate of Muslims. Although she acknowledged steps taken by Nigerian authorities—such as reassigning approximately 100,000 police officers from VIP protection duties—she stressed that the country was entering a “coordinated and deeply troubling period of escalated violence.”
She recommended targeted sanctions on Nigerian officials accused of complicity, visa restrictions, and the freezing of U.S.-based assets. She also urged lawmakers to tie foreign aid to measurable improvements in accountability and security conditions. In addition, she encouraged Congress to commission the Government Accountability Office to review previous U.S. assistance to Nigeria.
Challenging Nigeria’s Narrative
Dr. Ebenezer Obadare of the Council on Foreign Relations sharply disputed Nigeria’s claims that the violence is not religiously motivated. He described the notion that Boko Haram and other extremist groups target Christians and Muslims equally as a “myth,” insisting the militants operate “for one reason only: religion.”
Obadare argued that higher Muslim casualty numbers reflect the geography of attacks, not equal targeting. He criticized the Nigerian military as “too corrupt and incompetent” to eliminate jihadist groups without significant external pressure and urged Washington to push Abuja to dismantle armed groups enforcing Islamic law, confront corruption within the security forces, and respond swiftly to early warnings of attacks.
Nigeria Labeled the ‘Deadliest Country’ for Christians
Sean Nelson of Alliance Defending Freedom International described Nigeria as “the deadliest country in the world for Christians,” claiming more Christian deaths occur there than in all other countries combined. He added that extremists sometimes kill Muslims who refuse to support their ideology, further undermining Nigeria’s claims that the crisis is driven by local disputes rather than extremist motives.
Nelson said aid to Nigeria should be closely monitored and suggested channeling some assistance through faith-based organizations to reduce corruption. He emphasized the need for greater transparency around mass abductions and ransom payments, stressing that “without transparency and outside pressure, nothing changes.”
Criticism of U.S. Policy Changes
Díaz-Balart criticized the Biden administration’s 2021 decision to remove Nigeria from the Trump-era list of “countries of particular concern,” arguing that the reversal had “clearly deadly consequences.”
Lawmakers from the Appropriations, Foreign Affairs, and Financial Services committees signaled that further oversight measures were likely as they finalize the Trump-directed report.
Hartzler noted recent developments in Nigeria that could indicate a shift toward addressing the crisis more directly. She pointed to President Bola Tinubu’s move to redeploy around 100,000 police officers from VIP protection to general security duties, calling it “a promising start after years of neglect.”
She also highlighted recent remarks by the Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, who admitted the country was experiencing a “coordinated and deeply troubling period of escalated violence.” Combined with calls from the House majority leader for enhanced legislative oversight, Hartzler said these signs might show the government is beginning to confront the scale of the crisis—though she maintained that current efforts remain insufficient.
She stressed that Nigeria must demonstrate genuine intent to “quell injustice,” act swiftly on early warnings, and ensure transparency and accountability if these initial steps are to lead to meaningful progress.
The Nigerian Embassy did not immediately respond to inquiries.
