The debate over alleged mass killings of Christians in Nigeria has resurfaced strongly in Washington.
This time, senior members of the United States Congress have again rejected the Federal Government’s position, insisting that the pattern of attacks shows clear religious targeting.
The latest confrontation followed a joint briefing by the House Appropriations Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
Both committees reviewed new findings on the insecurity in Nigeria and said the situation required urgent attention from the international community.
The meeting was part of a broader congressional investigation ordered by US President Donald Trump.
He directed lawmakers to compile a detailed report on the alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria and recommend decisive actions that the US could take.
House Appropriations Vice Chair Mario Díaz-Balart, who led the session, noted that the briefings received so far point to serious lapses in Nigeria’s security response.
He said the report being prepared would advise the US government on possible diplomatic and security measures.
Vicky Hartzler, who chairs the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, delivered one of the most alarming presentations.
She told lawmakers that “religious freedom [is] under siege,” pointing to incidents where “radical Muslims kill entire Christian villages [and] burn churches.” She also referred to the abduction of schoolchildren and rising attacks in remote communities.
Hartzler said the violations were widespread, brutal and heavily directed at Christian communities. According to her, Christians were targeted “at a 2.2 to 1 rate” compared to Muslims.
She acknowledged some recent actions by the Nigerian government but warned that the country was entering a “coordinated and deeply troubling period of escalated violence.”
She pushed for sanctions against Nigerian officials believed to be complicit in the attacks. She also urged tighter conditions on US aid, stronger oversight, and a review by the Government Accountability Office.
According to her, one key step was for the Nigerian government to reclaim villages seized by armed groups so displaced families could return.
Another strong criticism came from Dr. Ebenezer Obadare of the Council on Foreign Relations. He said the claim that extremists attack Muslims and Christians equally was a “myth.” He argued that Boko Haram and similar groups act for one reason only: religion.
He described the Nigerian military as “too corrupt and incompetent” to dismantle the networks behind the violence without external pressure.
Obadare called for the disbandment of armed groups enforcing Islamic law in some rural communities and demanded immediate responses to early warnings of impending attacks.
Sean Nelson of ADF International also told the lawmakers that Nigeria had become “the deadliest country in the world for Christians.”
He said more Christians were killed in Nigeria than in all other countries combined, adding that extremists also target Muslims who refuse to accept their ideology.
He urged stricter monitoring of how US aid to Nigeria is used and pushed for more transparency in ransom payments and rescue operations for victims of mass kidnappings.
Díaz-Balart criticised the Biden administration for removing Nigeria from the list of “countries of particular concern” in 2021, saying the decision had “clearly deadly consequences.”
He added that Congress would continue to intensify oversight as the report ordered by Trump nears completion.
Hartzler noted a few steps taken by the Nigerian government, including President Bola Tinubu’s decision to withdraw about 100,000 police officers from VIP protection duties. She called the move a “promising start,” but cautioned that it was not enough.
She also highlighted recent comments by the Speaker of the House of Representatives admitting that Nigeria was facing a “coordinated and deeply troubling period of escalated violence.”
She stressed that Nigeria must show clear intent to “quell injustice,” respond quickly to early signs of attacks and ensure accountability for security failures.
The Nigerian Embassy in Washington did not respond to inquiries at the time of this report.