WASHINGTON (BN24) — Two key U.S. House committees on Monday formally delivered a report to the White House outlining findings and policy proposals concerning what lawmakers describe as the persecution of Christian communities in Nigeria and the broader security crisis facing Africa’s most populous nation.
The report, prepared by members of the House Committees on Appropriations and Foreign Affairs, was presented following a congressional investigation ordered after President Donald Trump redesignated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern, a designation reserved under U.S. law for governments accused of severe violations of religious freedom.
Trump directed Rep. Riley Moore of West Virginia and House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole of Oklahoma to spearhead a comprehensive review of violence targeting Christians and the wider instability linked to extremist groups operating in Nigeria.
Moore announced the submission Monday evening on his social media account, writing that lawmakers had met at the White House to hand over what he characterized as a “comprehensive report outlining concrete actions to end the persecution of Christians in Nigeria and counter growing extremist violence in the region.”
According to Moore, the document draws on months of inquiry, including hearings featuring expert testimony, consultations with religious leaders, meetings with displaced civilians and discussions with senior Nigerian officials. The investigative effort also included bipartisan congressional delegations traveling to Nigeria for on-the-ground assessments.
During one such trip, Moore and other lawmakers visited Internally Displaced Persons camps in Benue state, met individuals affected by extremist violence and held talks with Nigerian officials led by National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu.
Moore said the inquiry provided U.S. lawmakers with what he described as a clearer understanding of the threats facing Christian communities and the structural challenges confronting Nigerian security forces.
“It is in the interest of both our great nations,” Moore wrote, urging Nigeria’s government to strengthen cooperation with Washington. “Together, we must address these pressing security challenges and bring an end to violence against Christians.”
The report outlines a series of recommendations aimed at increasing accountability and deepening bilateral security coordination. Among them: negotiating a formal U.S.–Nigeria security agreement focused on protecting vulnerable Christian populations and dismantling jihadist networks; conditioning certain U.S. financial assistance on measurable progress by Nigeria in curbing religiously motivated violence; and imposing sanctions and visa restrictions on individuals or groups deemed responsible for or complicit in persecution.
Lawmakers also propose technical assistance to address violence attributed to armed Fulani militias, advocating for enhanced counterterrorism support and intelligence-sharing. Additional recommendations include pressing Nigeria to repeal Sharia-based and blasphemy statutes viewed by some U.S. officials as discriminatory, and coordinating efforts with international partners such as France, Hungary and the United Kingdom.
In a statement shared publicly, Moore thanked Trump for restoring Nigeria’s Country of Particular Concern designation and credited House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole, Vice Chair Mario Diaz-Balart, Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast and Rep. Chris Smith for their roles in producing and transmitting the report.
“I traveled on a bipartisan delegation to Nigeria and saw with my own eyes the horrific atrocities Christians face and the instability the Nigerian government must combat,” Moore said.
Nigeria has long grappled with complex security threats, including insurgent campaigns by Boko Haram and Islamic State-affiliated groups in the northeast, communal violence in the Middle Belt and banditry in the northwest. Nigerian officials have frequently rejected assertions that the conflict amounts to systematic religious persecution, instead characterizing much of the violence as rooted in competition over land, resources and political grievances that cut across faith lines.
The Country of Particular Concern designation carries potential diplomatic and economic consequences, though administrations have discretion in applying sanctions or waivers. Nigeria was previously designated during Trump’s first term, removed from the list under President Joe Biden and redesignated this year.
The White House did not immediately release details on next steps following receipt of the congressional report. Nigeria’s government has not publicly responded to the latest congressional findings.
The report’s submission arrives at a delicate moment in U.S.–Nigeria relations. Nigeria is a strategic partner in West Africa, serving as a regional economic anchor and counterterrorism ally. Any move to condition aid or impose targeted sanctions could recalibrate diplomatic ties at a time when Washington is seeking to counter expanding Russian and Chinese influence across the continent.
Security cooperation between the two countries has historically focused on intelligence-sharing, military training and logistical support in combating Boko Haram and related groups. A formal bilateral security agreement, as proposed in the report, would signal a deeper alignment but could also face resistance within Nigeria if perceived as external pressure on domestic legal or religious frameworks.
The recommendation to demand repeal of Sharia and blasphemy laws is particularly sensitive. In Nigeria, criminal law varies by state, and several northern states operate Sharia-based legal systems alongside federal courts. Altering those statutes would require complex political negotiations and could inflame domestic tensions.
Furthermore, analysts caution that framing Nigeria’s violence strictly through a religious lens may oversimplify a multifaceted conflict. Clashes between herders and farmers, for example, often involve disputes over grazing routes, desertification and local governance, even as religious identity intersects with those disputes.
At the same time, human rights advocates argue that failure to confront religiously motivated attacks risks normalizing impunity. The congressional report’s emphasis on accountability measures reflects growing frustration among some U.S. lawmakers who believe previous diplomatic engagement has yielded limited progress.
For the Trump administration, the redesignation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern and the acceptance of the House report underscore a renewed prioritization of religious freedom in foreign policy rhetoric. Whether that translates into concrete sanctions or reshaped aid packages remains to be seen.
The broader implication is that Nigeria’s internal security challenges are once again central to U.S. political debate. As Congress presses for firmer action, Nigerian leaders may face increased scrutiny over how effectively they address extremist violence and protect vulnerable communities.
How both governments navigate the next phase — balancing sovereignty, security cooperation and human rights concerns — will shape the trajectory of one of Africa’s most consequential bilateral relationships.
