WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, prominent lawmakers in the United States demanded answers from the State Department regarding the alarming slaughter of Christians in Nigeria. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX), Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-MI), Subcommittee on Africa Chairman John James (R-MI), and a group of representatives sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, urging the Biden administration to address the concerns for Nigerian Christians’ lives and the tragic loss of life resulting from their faith.
Specifically, the lawmakers are demanding an explanation as to why Nigeria was removed as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) under the International Religious Freedom Act in 2021. They also want clarity on why the recent atrocities, such as the killing of approximately 200 Nigerian Christians by Islamic Jihadists on Christmas Eve 2023, did not meet the threshold of concern.
In their letter, the lawmakers emphasized the urgent need to prioritize the issue of religiously motivated violence in Nigeria. They noted that terrorist groups such as ISIS, al-Shabaab, Boko Haram, and al-Qaeda perpetuate this senseless violence across Africa. Churches and their congregations in northern and central Nigeria are reportedly subjected to violent assaults almost weekly. Shockingly, Open Doors, a Christian advocacy group, reveals that over 90% of global Christian deaths occur in Africa, highlighting the severity of the situation.
The State Department’s decision on January 4, 2024, not to designate Nigeria as a CPC despite recommendations from the United States Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has only deepened concerns. The lawmakers criticized the department’s failure to send the Ambassador for Religious Freedom to investigate the severe violations of religious freedoms in Nigeria, highlighting the disconnect between the Nigerian people, the Nigerian government, and U.S. foreign policy.
To address these pressing issues, the lawmakers are demanding a comprehensive report from the State Department to Congress outlining its plan to address the concerns surrounding the slaughter of Nigerian Christians by Islamic Jihadists. The report should include specific details on the department’s engagement with the Nigerian government to prevent further atrocities. Furthermore, the lawmakers seek an explanation for Nigeria’s removal as a CPC and why recent events did not meet the necessary threshold of concern.
The letter was signed by an impressive list of representatives, including Chris Smith (NJ), Andy Ogles (TN), Harriet Hageman (WY), Ralph Norman (SC), Rich McCormick (GA), Jim Baird (IN), Daniel Webster (FL), John Rose (TN), Michael Cloud (TX), Michael Guest (MS), Maria Salazar (FL), John Moolenaar (MI), Mario Diaz-Balart (FL), Chip Roy (TX), French Hill (AR), Keith Self (TX), Jake LaTurner (KS), Tim Walberg (MI), and Darrell Issa (CA).
The alarming situation in Nigeria’s Christian communities calls for immediate action and a reevaluation of the United States’ stance on the matter. The demand for answers from the State Department showcases the lawmakers’ commitment to protecting religious freedom and combating religiously motivated violence worldwide.
