Trump and Tinubu
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The United States Congress has removed every clog on the path of President Donald Trump to impose severe sanctions on Nigeria, following reports that the country tops the chart of Christians killings globally.
This was decided at a congressional hearing on Wednesday, during which lawmakers criticised the Nigerian government for failing to protect Christian communities from incessant violence.
According to the reports, Nigerians account for 90 percent of Christians killed worldwide each year.
Chris Smith, Chairman of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, announced the decision after a congressional hearing on the persecution of Nigerian Christians.
Smith cited a report by the Observatory for Religious Freedom in Africa, which documented over 55,000 killings between October 2019 and September 2023, a staggering 55,910 people were killed, while 21,000 others were abducted by terrorist groups operating in the region.
Bishop Wilfred Anagbe of Makurdi testified at the session, describing militant Fulani herdsmen as terrorists operating with impunity.
According to Smith: “One of our distinguished witnesses today—Bishop Wilfred Anagbe—travelled a long distance to be with us, and his testimony is both compelling and disturbing.
“Militant Fulani herdsmen are terrorists. They steal and vandalise, they kill and boast about it, they kidnap and rape, and they enjoy total impunity from elected officials. None of them have been arrested or brought to justice.”
“Make no mistake—these attacks are religiously motivated,” the report stated. “Denying this reality contradicts the overwhelming evidence we have seen with our own eyes. This ‘religious cleansing’ must stop, and those responsible must be held accountable.”
He also expressed displeasure with the previous administration of President Joe Biden for removing Nigeria from the Country of Particular Concern, CPC, list, where Trump had initially placed the country.
“Under President Biden, Nigeria was removed from the CPC list, despite overwhelming evidence that religious persecution had worsened. This decision ignored the repeated recommendations of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom,” he said.Smith reintroduced a resolution calling for renewed CPC designation and urged Trump to take decisive action if the violence against Christians continues to stop what he termed “religious cleansing” and hold perpetrators accountable.
“I fully expect President Trump to redesignate Nigeria as a CPC and to take additional steps to support the persecuted church. Last night, I reintroduced a resolution on this issue, and I hope we will have a robust discussion that leads to real action,” he added.
“This hearing should be a catalyst for action,” Smith stated, adding that where sanctions have been enforced, change has followed.”
“The Government of Nigeria has made little progress in addressing the persecution of Christians, even though religious freedom is enshrined as a fundamental human right in its Constitution.
Smith accused the Nigerian governor not doing much to arrest the situation.
“While Nigeria’s legal framework ostensibly supports religious pluralism at both federal and state levels, glaring contradictions persist—particularly in laws that criminalise blasphemy, some of which even carry the death penalty,” he said.
However, he expressed confidence that Trump would take the necessary steps, including engaging Nigerian President Bola Tinubu on the crisis.
“The new president has a responsibility to act, and I believe he will. If necessary, sanctions must be imposed. When they have been used in the past, they have brought change. Where there are no consequences, the killing fields remain,” Smith said.
