WASHINGTON: US lawmakers in Washington have held a major briefing on the rising kidnappings and alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria following President Donald Trump’s directive to investigate the slaughter of Christians and report back to the White House.
Led by US Representatives Mario Díaz-Balart, Robert Aderholt, Riley Moore, Brian Mast and others, the session condemned the growing violence, describing parts of Nigeria as “ground zero of religious attacks.
Experts told Congress that Christian and moderate Muslim communities now face kidnappings, forced conversions, village raids, and killings with little protection.
Witnesses recounted harrowing incidents from mass abductions in schools to deadly attacks linked to extremist groups like Boko Haram.
They urged the US to pressure Nigeria to boost accountability, overhaul security operations, and address controversial blasphemy laws.
Back home, Nigeria’s House of Representatives is set to debate nationwide insecurity today, with lawmakers pushing aggressively for state police.
Several reps insist decentralized policing is now a national necessity, arguing that security challenges are too localized for a single federal force.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu met service chiefs on Tuesday, hours after nominating ex-Defence Chief Christopher Musa as Defence Minister.
This follows the President’s nationwide security emergency declaration, which includes recruiting 20,000 police officers, deploying forest guards, and strengthening security around schools and worship centers.
The pressure is rising both locally and internationally Nigeria’s security decisions in the coming weeks may shape the country’s stability for years to come.
