United States House Appropriators and Foreign Affairs leaders held a rare joint briefing on Tuesday as part of a broader congressional investigation into what lawmakers describe as escalating and targeted attacks against Christians in Nigeria.
The session, led by House Appropriations Vice Chair and National Security Subcommittee Chairman Mario Díaz-Balart (R-Fla.), will feed into a comprehensive report ordered by President Donald Trump on recent massacres of Nigerian Christians and potential U.S. policy responses.
Trump tasked Congress—through Reps. Riley Moore (R-W.Va.) and Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole (R-Okla.)—to investigate Christian persecution in Nigeria and submit recommendations to the White House.
He has also hinted at the possibility of direct U.S. military action against Islamist groups responsible for the killings.
Vicky Hartzler, chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, warned lawmakers that religious freedom in Nigeria is “under siege,” citing the abduction of more than 300 children and repeated attacks in which “radical Muslims kill entire Christian villages and burn churches.”
Rising Violations
Hartzler said violations were widespread and disproportionately targeted Christians at a rate of “2.2 to 1” compared with Muslims.
Although Nigeria has taken some early steps—including reassigning about 100,000 police officers from VIP protection duties—she warned the country was entering a “deeply troubling period of escalated violence.”
She recommended that the U.S. impose targeted sanctions on Nigerian officials allegedly complicit in the crisis, restrict visas, freeze assets, and condition foreign and humanitarian aid on measurable accountability.
“Myth” of Equal Targeting
Dr. Ebenezer Obadare of the Council on Foreign Relations challenged the Nigerian government’s claim that Christians and Muslims are equally targeted.
He insisted the notion was a “myth,” arguing Boko Haram and other militant groups “act for one reason and one reason only: religion.”
He said higher Muslim casualties were largely due to geography, not equal targeting.
Obadare described Boko Haram as aggressively anti-democracy and said Nigeria’s military was “too corrupt and incompetent” to dismantle jihadist networks without significant external pressure.
He urged the U.S. to push Nigeria to disband Islamic law enforcement groups, confront security-sector corruption, and respond swiftly to early warnings of attacks.
“Deadliest Country for Christians”
Sean Nelson of Alliance Defending Freedom International described Nigeria as “the deadliest country in the world for Christians,” saying more Christians are killed there than in all other countries combined.
When adjusted for population, he argued Christians are killed at a rate “five times higher” than Muslims.
Nelson also urged tighter U.S. oversight of assistance to Nigeria, including routing more aid through faith-based organizations to reduce corruption. He called for greater transparency in Nigeria’s handling of mass kidnappings and ransom payments.
More Pressure Ahead
Díaz-Balart criticized the Biden administration for reversing Nigeria’s designation as a “country of particular concern” in 2021, saying the change had “deadly consequences.”
Lawmakers on the Appropriations, Foreign Affairs, and Financial Services committees signaled additional oversight actions as they prepare the Trump-ordered report.
Hartzler acknowledged Nigeria has recently taken steps that might signal a more serious approach, including President Bola Tinubu’s move to redeploy 100,000 police officers and statements from the Speaker of the House admitting the country was facing “a coordinated and deeply troubling period of escalated violence.”
She stressed, however, that these changes remain far from adequate.
Nigeria, she said, must demonstrate real intent to “quell injustice,” swiftly act on early warnings of attacks, and commit to transparency if meaningful progress is to be achieved.
The Nigerian Embassy did not immediately comment when contacted.