By: Chioma Madonna Ndukwu
US Congress Launches Probe into Killings in Nigeria as Religious Freedom Concerns Deepen
The United States House Subcommittee on Africa will hold a public hearing on Thursday, November 20, to examine Nigeria’s recent redesignation as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) following rising reports of killings linked to religious persecution.
President Donald Trump reinstated Nigeria on the CPC list on October 31, citing what he described as severe and ongoing attacks on Christian communities across the country.
If the designation is upheld by the US Senate, Washington will be empowered to sanction Nigerian officials suspected of enabling religious violence and may restrict certain categories of American assistance.
The hearing is set for 11:00 a.m. in Room 2172 of the Rayburn House Office Building and will be streamed live. Representative Chris Smith will preside over the session, which will feature two panels of witnesses drawn from the US State Department and Nigeria’s religious community.
According to an invitation sent to members of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, the first panel will include Jonathan Pratt, Senior Bureau Official for the Bureau of African Affairs, and Jacob McGee, Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor.
A second panel will feature Director of the Center for Religious Freedom, Nina Shea; Bishop Wilfred Anagbe of the Makurdi Catholic Diocese; and Oge Onubogu of the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Trump’s CPC announcement sparked uproar, with the former president accusing extremist groups in Nigeria of killing thousands of Christians and warning that the United States “will take action” if the Nigerian government fails to address the situation. He also threatened to halt aid and, if necessary, consider military intervention.
The redesignation has intensified debate at home and abroad, with critics raising concerns about deteriorating security conditions, escalating religiously motivated killings, and what US involvement might mean for Nigeria’s internal affairs.
Thursday’s congressional hearing aims to gather testimonies, assess available evidence, and determine the next steps in US policy toward Nigeria.
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