Republican lawmakers are urging the U. S. Department of State to demand greater accountability from the Nigerian government as ethnoreligious violence and the persecution of Christians continue to escalate. During a November 12 hearing held by the U. S. House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, representatives questioned whether sufficient progress has been made over the past year since President Donald Trump designated Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” (CPC) for egregious religious freedom violations. Lawmakers such as Rep. Bill Huizenga and Rep. Riley Moore emphasized that while diplomatic engagement and the arrest of suspected terrorist leaders are welcome steps, Nigerian communities are still waiting for real protection, justice, and a definitive end to attacks carried out by Fulani Ethnic Militias, Boko Haram, and the Islamic State West Africa Province.
Data presented during the assessment highlights a worsening human toll despite diplomatic efforts. According to the Nigeria Risk Index, although total security incidents dropped slightly between January and June 2026 compared to the previous year, the number of fatalities surged by nearly 37%, jumping from 2,242 to 4,435. Testifying before the committee, State Department assistant secretaries Frank Garcia and Riley Barnes acknowledged that the pace of progress has been insufficient to stop the violence. Barnes noted that witness testimonies confirm attackers frequently target Christians specifically for killing and abduction, adding that the U. S. administration is also pressing Nigeria to halt the enforcement of anti-blasphemy laws used against religious minorities.
While State Department officials pointed to ongoing initiatives—such as the U. S.-Nigeria Joint Working Group, biometric data sharing, increased security deployments, and efforts to disrupt terrorist financing—lawmakers stressed that much more is required. Subcommittee Chair Rep. Chris Smith stated that while the CPC designation applies necessary pressure on Nigeria to address human rights abuses, the response remains far too slow. Lawmakers agreed that true success will only be achieved when the Nigerian government takes decisive action to halt the killings and ensure internally displaced persons can safely return to their ancestral lands.