US lawmakers have accused the Nigerian government of not doing enough to address the rising insecurity and killings in the country.
The lawmakers spoke on Tuesday during the United States House Appropriations Committee joint congressional briefing on the alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria.
At the event, the lawmakers took turns to address the situation in the wake of President Donald Trump’s designation of Nigeria as a country of particular concern and his threat of military action.
“The Nigerian government has a fundamental, constitutional obligation to protect its citizens; however, the perpetrators of this persecution operate with complete impunity,” Congressman Chris Smith told the gathering.
According to the Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Africa Subcommittee, the US will hold the Nigerian government to account over the killings.
“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.
Reps Brian Mast echoed a similar sentiment, backing President Donald Trump’s decision to redesignate Nigeria as a country of particular concern.
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”.
At the event, Riley Moore, the House Appropriations Legislative Branch Subcommittee Vice Chair and leading religious liberty advocate, doubled down on his allegation of persecution of Christians in Nigeria.
The Congressman said, “The world will no longer turn a blind eye to the persecution of Christians in Nigeria.”
Lawmakers were not the only ones at the briefing. The Chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, Vicky Hartzler, said that despite early warnings, Nigerian authorities do little to forestall attacks.
While calling for more support for Nigeria in the fight against insecurity, Hartzler said: “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.