The United States House of Representatives Subcommittee on Africa will hold an open hearing on Thursday, November 20, 2025, to review President Donald Trump’s recent designation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) over alleged religious freedom violations.
The designation, if ratified by the Senate, could allow the US to impose targeted sanctions on Nigerian officials implicated in religious persecution and limit certain forms of bilateral assistance. It also signals to the global community that religious freedom in Nigeria is under serious threat.
The hearing, set for 11:00 a.m. in Room 2172 of the Rayburn House Office Building and available via live webcast, will be chaired by Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ). It will feature two panels, including senior US State Department officials and Nigerian religious leaders.
Panelists include Jonathan Pratt, Senior Bureau Official of the Bureau of African Affairs, and Jacob McGee, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. The second panel will feature Nina Shea, Director of the Centre for Religious Freedom; Bishop Wilfred Anagbe of Makurdi Catholic Diocese in Nigeria; and Oge Onubogu of the Centre for Strategic & International Studies.
The congressional hearing will assess the scope of religious persecution in Nigeria and explore potential US policy responses, including sanctions, humanitarian assistance, and collaboration with Nigerian authorities to prevent further violence.
President Trump formally designated Nigeria a CPC on October 31, 2025, citing alleged severe violations of religious freedom, particularly the persecution of Christians. He warned that the US could halt aid to Nigeria and even consider military action if the administration of President Bola Tinubu failed to address the issue.
“If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the USA will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now-disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities,” Trump said on November 1, 2025.
President Tinubu has rejected the claim, describing it as a misrepresentation of Nigeria’s constitutional commitment to religious freedom. In a statement on X, he affirmed that Nigeria remains a democratic nation dedicated to religious tolerance.
The CPC designation comes amid repeated attacks on Christian communities, including killings by Islamist extremist groups, kidnappings, and church destructions. Bishop Anagbe, who will testify at the hearing, previously highlighted the violence in Benue State, where Christian communities have been targeted by extremists and militant Fulani herders, forcing many to flee to internally displaced persons’ camps.
US lawmakers have expressed concern over the situation. Congressman Riley Moore (R-WV) told Fox News that investigations are underway to gather “real ground truth” from Nigeria. He emphasized that Christians are disproportionately targeted, citing a 5:1 ratio of Christian to Muslim fatalities in the violence documented.
While some officials, including Congressman Bill Huizenga, downplayed the likelihood of US military action, they stressed that economic sanctions and diplomatic pressure could help deter terrorist activity and encourage Nigerian authorities to take action.
Domestically, President Tinubu has dispatched peace emissaries to conflict areas, including Plateau State, to mediate disputes between local farmers, Christian communities, and Fulani herders, underscoring Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to maintain inter-communal harmony.
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