US Congress to Hold Two-Panel Hearing on Alleged Christian Persecution in Nigeria

President Bola Tinubu’s administration is expected to face fresh scrutiny from American lawmakers as the United States prepares to examine Nigeria’s efforts to protect Christians and address persistent insecurity in parts of the country.

The US House of Representatives has scheduled a hearing for Thursday, November 12, 2026, to assess the Nigerian government’s response to allegations of religious persecution and attacks on Christian communities.

The session will begin at 11 a.m. at the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, DC, and is expected to be streamed live on YouTube.

The hearing will be chaired by Chris Smith, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, whose office announced the meeting on Monday.

Titled “One Year Later: Assessing Nigeria’s Efforts to Protect Christians and Secure the Middle Belt,” the hearing will examine what progress Nigeria has made over the past year in protecting vulnerable communities, improving security across the Middle Belt and holding those responsible for religiously motivated violence accountable.

US Lawmakers to Hear From Two Panels

Two separate panels are expected to provide evidence and perspectives during the congressional hearing.

The first panel will feature senior officials from the US Department of State, including Frank Garcia, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, and Riley Barnes, Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labour.

The second panel will include representatives from organisations involved in religious freedom advocacy, humanitarian concerns and international policy.

Those expected to appear are Nina Shea of the Hudson Institute, Ryan Brown, chief executive officer of Open Doors US, and Oge Onubogu of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

Their contributions are expected to help lawmakers examine the security situation in Nigeria, the protection of religious communities and the government’s response to attacks.

US Considers Possible Measures Against Religious Violence

Beyond assessing Nigeria’s progress, American lawmakers are also expected to discuss what further steps Washington could take to encourage the Nigerian government to protect Christians and other vulnerable communities, including non-radical Muslim populations.

The hearing comes amid growing international attention to attacks carried out by extremist groups and other armed organisations in different parts of Nigeria.

The discussions could place additional pressure on the Tinubu administration to demonstrate that it is taking effective measures to prevent violence, protect civilians and bring perpetrators to justice.

However, the hearing is not a court trial. It is a congressional oversight process through which US lawmakers will question officials and experts about Nigeria’s security and religious freedom record.

How Nigeria Was Returned to the US Religious Freedom Watchlist

The planned hearing comes almost a year after US President Donald Trump redesignated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) over alleged violations of religious freedom.

Nigeria was first placed on the list in 2020 during Trump’s first administration. However, former US President Joe Biden removed the country from the designation after taking office.

On October 31, 2025, Trump announced that Nigeria would once again be placed on the list, arguing that Christians were facing serious threats from extremist groups operating in the country.

He accused radical Islamist organisations of killing thousands of Christians and warned that Washington could reconsider its relationship with Nigeria if the violence continued.

Trump Threatened to Cut Aid and Consider Military Action

Trump’s decision to redesignate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern was accompanied by strong warnings to the Nigerian government.

In a statement issued on November 1, 2025, the US president threatened to withdraw American assistance if the Nigerian authorities failed to address the killings.

He also suggested that the United States could consider military action against terrorist organisations responsible for attacks on Christian communities.

Trump said:

“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.

“I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action. If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our cherished Christians.”

The remarks generated significant international attention and raised questions about the future of US-Nigeria relations.

Nigeria and US Strengthen Security Cooperation

Despite the diplomatic tension surrounding Trump’s comments, Nigeria and the United States have since moved towards closer military cooperation aimed at tackling terrorist groups operating in the country, particularly in the northern region.

The partnership reflects the shared security concerns of both countries and the need to address the activities of extremist organisations.

The upcoming congressional hearing will provide an opportunity for US lawmakers to examine the progress of Nigeria’s security response and determine whether additional diplomatic or policy measures are necessary.

For the Tinubu administration, the outcome of the discussions could have implications for Nigeria’s international reputation, relations with Washington and future security cooperation.

The Nigerian government will therefore face renewed pressure to demonstrate that it is protecting citizens regardless of their religious background and taking meaningful action against those responsible for attacks.