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Some United States lawmakers have warned that the US must sustain pressure on the Nigerian government, accusing Abuja of inaction as insecurity and targeted killings continue to escalate across the country.
Speaking at the United States House Appropriations Committee’s joint congressional briefing on alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria, the lawmakers said the situation had deteriorated to the point where stronger American intervention was necessary.
They said this was especially in the wake of President Donald Trump’s redesignation of Nigeria as a country of particular concern and his threat of military action.
Congressman, Chris Smith, said the Nigerian authorities were failing in their most basic duty.
“The Nigerian government has a fundamental, constitutional obligation to protect its citizens; however, the perpetrators of this persecution operate with complete impunity,” he told the gathering.
Smith, who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Africa Subcommittee, warned that Washington would not allow Nigerian leaders to evade responsibility.
He accused the government of deliberately stalling efforts to address the violence.
“The Nigerian government is trying to run out the clock; we cannot allow this to happen. We must act quickly and decisively to save more lives,” he said.
Another lawmaker, Rep. Brian Mast, backed Trump’s tougher posture, insisting the US must demand concrete action from Abuja.
He said the US “must demand that the Nigerian government disarm these militias, return displaced families to their homes, and bring the perpetrators to justice”.
Riley Moore, Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Legislative Branch Subcommittee and a prominent religious liberty advocate, said the global community would now scrutinise Nigeria’s handling of the crisis more closely.
“The world will no longer turn a blind eye to the persecution of Christians in Nigeria,” he said.
The Chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, Vicky Hartzler, also criticised Nigerian authorities for ignoring early warnings that could have prevented attacks. While calling for deeper US support to strengthen Nigeria’s security response, she emphasised the urgency of accountability.
“Resources could also be invested in using early warning systems to reduce community violence, and the U.S. government should insist that Nigerian government officials respond when there is an early warning,” she said.
Hartzler added that communities often alert authorities before attacks occur, yet help rarely comes.
“Too many times, local villagers learn of an impending attack and reach out for protection, only to have their cries for help ignored to their ultimate demise. Worse yet, there are stories of law enforcement being called during an attack, and yet no help is sent. This is unacceptable.”
The briefing ended with a unified message from lawmakers: only increased US pressure — and sustained accountability — will force Nigerian authorities to act decisively against the escalating violence.
Previously, Trump noted that in response to claims of genocide against Christians in Nigeria, he had redesignated the country as a “Country of Particular Concern.”
He had announced the decision on his Truth Social media platform.
“Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria,” Trump posted to Truth Social. “Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter. I am hereby making Nigeria a ‘COUNTRY OF PARTICULAR CONCERN’ — But that is the least of it,” he posted.
Trump further noted that he has directed Rep. Riley Moore, R-W.Va., Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., and members of the House Appropriations Committee to investigate the situation and report their findings to him.
“The United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening in Nigeria, and numerous other Countries,” Trump said. “We stand ready, willing, and able to save our Great Christian population around the World!”
Previously, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) had expressed deep concern over the persistent violence and insecurity affecting Christians in several parts of the country, especially in the North, saying many communities have suffered “severe attacks, loss of life, and destruction of places of worship.”
In a press release made available to SaharaReporters, CAN said the scale of killings and displacement facing Christians had reached alarming proportions and demanded urgent, transparent action from the government and security agencies.
The body’s statement also comes amid concerns raised by senators in the United States, who say Christians are being targeted by killings in Nigeria.
The Nigerian government, however, has repeatedly denied such claims.
