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Director of the Abuja School of Social and Political Thought, Dr. Sam Amadi, has said that the recent fact-finding mission conducted in Nigeria by 4 United States congressional delegation indicates a lack of confidence in the Nigerian government’s official accounts of insecurity and religious freedom issues.
Speaking on Arise News, Amadi said the visit, which includes engagements with victims, religious leaders, and government officials, reflects Washington’s intention to independently verify allegations of targeted attacks and governance failures.
He explained that the delegation’s presence follows U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement that Nigeria would be reassessed as a “country of particular concern” on matters of religious persecution.
Amadi noted that although Trump’s rhetoric often comes through informal channels, U.S. foreign policy institutions typically act on such statements with more measured processes.
He pointed out that congressional hearings had taken place before the delegation arrived in Nigeria, suggesting that the visit forms part of a structured review.
According to Amadi, the U.S. team is examining three key issues: the possibility of reducing aid to Nigeria, enforcing visa restrictions, some of which have already been announced and, in a more extreme scenario, conducting targeted operations against terrorist groups.
Amadi said the method of the delegation’s visit also signals its intent. Unlike typical diplomatic engagements that take place in hotels or conference rooms, the team held brief meetings with top officials, including the National Security Adviser, before travelling directly to areas affected by violence to obtain first-hand testimonies.
He added that the U.S. deliberately sought information beyond government statements and mainstream media reports.
“They want statements from victims. There is distrust of both the official narrative and the mainstream media,” he said.
Amadi also predicted that the delegation’s findings would likely reaffirm previous U.S. concerns that Christians are disproportionately targeted in northern Nigeria, even though other groups also suffer casualties from terrorist attacks.
