A tense scene played out in Washington as U.S. Congressman Bill Huizenga grew emotional while condemning President Bola Tinubu’s administration for what he called a failure to take meaningful action.
The development comes amid renewed uproar over Nigeria’s return to the U.S. list of worst offenders of religious freedom an issue that sparked sharp disagreements during Thursday’s congressional hearing.
Christian Persecution Debate Splits U.S. Congress
Lawmakers were starkly divided, with some describing the situation in Nigeria as a “Christian genocide,” while others argued that such claims oversimplify a much broader and more complex security landscape.
Former President Donald Trump recently reclassified Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) and even threatened military intervention based on allegations of widespread Christian persecution.
The heated debate followed closely after Congressman Riley Moore one of the leading voices labeling the crisis as genocide met with a Nigerian delegation led by National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu. Moore later said the discussions were “frank, honest, and productive,” highlighting concerns over alleged Christian persecution and ongoing terrorist violence.
According to U.S. lawmakers, Nigeria’s team also raised issues regarding security cooperation, counterterrorism support, and protection for vulnerable communities.
Background: Nigeria’s CPC Designation
Nigeria initially received the CPC label in 2020 under Trump’s administration, a designation reserved for severe violations of religious freedom. Former President Joe Biden later removed the country from the list a move that drew criticism from conservatives and religious-rights groups.
Conflict-tracking data from ACLED shows that from January 2020 to September 2025, nearly 12,000 attacks targeting civilians resulted in more than 20,000 deaths across both Christian and Muslim populations. Only about five percent of these incidents were explicitly religious, with 417 Muslim victims and 317 Christian victims recorded.
‘Violence Affects Everyone’ – Rep. Jacobs Urges Caution
Rep. Sara Jacobs warned that framing Nigeria’s insecurity purely as a religious conflict risks misrepresenting the situation and worsening tensions.
She said: “There is very real conflict and violence that we need to address… The violence impacting both Christian and Muslim communities is real.”
Citing recent attacks, she noted that Muslim communities also suffer: “The victims in the Kebbi State kidnapping were all Muslim girls. So, violence affects everyone. And false narratives perpetuate harmful stereotypes.”
Jacobs also rebuked Trump’s comments, adding: “President Trump’s threat is reckless. Any unilateral military action in Nigeria would be illegal.”
U.S. State Department Defends CPC Decision
Responding to criticisms, Jacob McGee Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor stood by the decision to restore Nigeria’s CPC status.
He stated that attacks in the Middle Belt often target Christians specifically: “These attacks directly target Christian populations. Witness testimonies confirmed attackers used religious language and specifically targeted Christians for killing, abduction, and rape.”
McGee further criticized the Nigerian government’s slow response to blasphemy cases and referenced the killing of Deborah Samuel: “This young Christian woman’s life was taken too soon, yet her murderers remain free.”
Jayapal Counters: “It is not just Christians”
Rep. Pramila Jayapal pushed back against the one-dimensional narrative, reminding Congress that multiple groups are victims of Nigeria’s violence.
She said: “The killings in Nigeria aren’t just the persecution of Christians. It is the persecution of multiple groups. We should be careful not to portray it as just prosecution of Christians; that would be simplistic.”
Huizenga Gets Emotional: Tinubu’s Government “Not Doing Enough”
A visibly emotional Congressman Bill Huizenga condemned Nigeria’s leadership, accusing them of failing to respond adequately to the crisis.
Holding back tears, he said: “Tinubu’s government is sitting back, not doing enough.”
Huizenga insisted that Christian communities remain heavily targeted and urged stronger U.S. intervention.
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