WASHINGTON: Nigeria is expected to come under renewed international attention as the United States Congress convenes another hearing on allegations of religious persecution in the country.
The session, scheduled for Wednesday, will feature testimonies before the House Foreign Affairs Committee under the theme Defending Religious Freedom Around the World.
It will be jointly organised by the committee’s Subcommittee on Africa and the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere.
Ahead of the hearing, written testimonies released on the committee’s website warned that Nigeria could be edging towards broader Christian–Muslim tensions if insecurity persists.
Among those expected to testify are former US Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback; Grace Drexel, daughter of Pastor Ezra Jin; and Dr Stephen F. Schneck, former chair of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom.
In his prepared remarks, Brownback alleged that extremist groups view Nigeria as part of a wider religious campaign, claiming militant Islamist movements are expanding beyond the Middle East and North Africa.
He warned that religious violence is escalating across parts of Africa and described Nigeria as one of the most dangerous places for Christians.
Brownback also suggested that Nigeria has been strengthening ties with countries such as China, Russia, Turkey and Saudi Arabia while confronting security challenges.
Schneck, in his submission, argued that insecurity, weak governance and fragile state institutions often create conditions that enable religious persecution.
According to him, insurgency, banditry and organised crime frequently exploit such instability, sometimes targeting faith communities.
He listed Nigeria, Syria and Sudan as countries facing heightened risks to religious freedom due to persistent insecurity and governance challenges.
Schneck also expressed concern about delays in updated US State Department religious freedom designations and reports.
He noted that Nigeria currently remains on the list of Countries of Particular Concern, a designation linked to alleged violations of religious freedom, while emphasizing broader global concerns about restrictions on faith in countries such as China and Iran.
Nigeria was redesignated as a Country of Particular Concern in 2025, a move that generated diplomatic tensions.
The Federal Government has consistently rejected allegations of systematic persecution of Christians, maintaining that insecurity affects Nigerians regardless of religious affiliation.
Security cooperation between Nigeria and the United States has continued amid the concerns. In November 2025, Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, met US defence officials in Washington for talks on counter-terrorism collaboration and regional stability.
Ribadu also disclosed that a US congressional delegation visited Abuja in December as part of ongoing consultations aimed at strengthening security cooperation between both countries.
According to Nigeria’s Office of the National Security Adviser, discussions have focused on counter-terrorism efforts, regional stability and deepening strategic security partnerships.
