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12h ago

Congress Presses Nigeria Over Continued Attacks on Christian Communities

Lawmakers probed U.S. policy on aid, the CPC designation and military cooperation as insecurity threatens voters before Nigeria’s January 16, 2027 elections.

WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 23: U.S. Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-CA) takes part in a discussion during the State(s) of the Union Town Hall: For the People, Not Billionaires at Eastern Market on February 23, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Families Over Billionaires)
WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 4: The U.S. Capitol, seen during morning hours on November 4, 2026 in Washington, DC. Members of congress began their return to Washington following midterm elections. (Photo by Tom Brenner/Getty Images)
KANO, KANO - APRIL 12: Nigerian Catholic worshipper pray during morning mass April 12, 2005 in Kano, Nigeria. Kano is part of Nigeria's primarily Muslim north, but devoted Catholic minority participates in frequent Masses in local cathedrals. Cardinal Francis Arinze of Nigeria is considered a leading contender to become pope in the aftermath of the death of Pope John Paul II. (Photo by Chris Hondros/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 04: U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) speaks during a hearing before the Congressional-Executive Commission on China at Dirksen Senate Office Building on June 4, 2026 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The commission held a hearing titled “The PRC’s Threats to Americans: Transnational Repression and State-Level Responses.” (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Overview

  • Thursday congressional hearings put the spotlight on persistent killings, abductions and church attacks in Nigeria’s central states and asked whether U.S. policy has reduced the violence.
  • Assistant Secretaries of State Frank Garcia and Riley Barnes told lawmakers the issue is a top priority and that the State Department is working with Nigerian authorities to hold perpetrators accountable.
  • Some human rights groups say more than 6,000 Christians were killed or abducted in 2026, a figure reported in hearings but not independently verified by U.S. officials.
  • Abuja rejects the Country of Particular Concern label as based on faulty data and says it treats the unrest as terrorism, while U.S. forces have partnered with Nigerian troops to target ISIS‑linked militants without clear gains in civilian safety.
  • Security experts say the violence goes beyond sectarian attacks to include Fulani militia raids, banditry, farmer‑herder clashes and kidnappings, and the outcome of the U.S. policy debate could affect aid flows, military cooperation and election‑day stability in January.