US lawmakers are set to scrutinise Nigeria’s response to religious violence and insecurity in the Middle Belt at a congressional hearing in Washington
US lawmakers are preparing to scrutinise Nigeria’s handling of religious violence and insecurity in the Middle Belt, with the House of Representatives scheduled to hold a congressional hearing on Thursday.
The session, convened by the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, will examine the protection of vulnerable communities, government efforts to tackle attacks and possible steps Washington could take to influence Nigeria’s response.
Republican Congressman Chris Smith, who chairs the subcommittee, will lead the hearing titled One Year Later: Assessing Nigeria’s Efforts to Protect Christians and Secure the Middle Belt.
Smith’s office announced the session on Monday, describing it as part of its continuing examination of alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria. It will be his 14th congressional hearing on the issue, according to the statement.
The inquiry will consider violence attributed to extremist groups, including Boko Haram and groups identified in the statement as Fulani terrorists. It will also assess whether Nigerian authorities have taken sufficient steps to prevent attacks and bring those responsible to justice.
A key issue before the lawmakers will be the extent to which the Nigerian government is protecting both Christian and non-radical Muslim communities affected by extremist violence.
The hearing will feature two panels. The first will include 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 bring together Nina Shea of the Hudson Institute’s Centre for Religious Freedom, Ryan Brown, Chief Executive Officer of Open Doors US, and Oge Onubogu, Director and Senior Fellow of the Africa Programme at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies.
Proceedings will begin at 11am local time at the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, DC, with a live YouTube broadcast available to the public.
The hearing follows the Trump administration’s November 2025 decision to redesignate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern over alleged severe violations of religious freedom.
The designation, established under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, applies to countries the US government considers responsible for or tolerant of particularly severe violations of religious freedom.
Nigeria had previously received the designation in December 2020 under Trump’s first administration. President Joe Biden’s administration removed the country from the list in November 2021, arguing that it no longer met the required criteria.
The Nigerian government has consistently rejected the suggestion that insecurity in the country is primarily driven by religious persecution. Its position is that violence has several causes, including terrorism, banditry, farmer-herder conflicts and other criminal activities, with both Christians and Muslims among the victims.
The United States has also taken military action against Islamic State targets in north-western Nigeria. American forces carried out strikes on December 25, 2025, in an operation Trump said was aimed at militants responsible for attacks on Christians.
Thursday’s proceedings will provide an opportunity for US officials and policy experts to present their assessments of Nigeria’s security and religious freedom challenges, as lawmakers consider the country’s progress and possible further action by Washington.
