The United States House Subcommittee on Africa will on Thursday, November 20, 2025, hold a major public hearing to review President Donald Trump’s recent redesignation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC).
If upheld by the Senate, the designation could open the door for US sanctions against Nigerian officials accused of enabling religious persecution, and restrict certain categories of American assistance to the country.
The hearing, scheduled for 11:00 am at Room 2172 of the Rayburn House Office Building, will be chaired by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ). It will also be streamed live for public viewing.
According to an invitation sighted by DAILY GAZETTE, senior State Department officials, Jonathan Pratt, Senior Bureau Official for African Affairs, and Jacob McGee, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, will testify on the first panel.
The second panel will include Director of the Centre for Religious Freedom Nina Shea, Bishop Wilfred Anagbe of Makurdi Diocese, and Oge Onubogu of the Centre for Strategic & International Studies.
The session will examine the scale of religious violence in Nigeria and explore possible US policy responses, including targeted sanctions, humanitarian support, and security cooperation with Nigerian authorities.
On October 31, 2025, Trump redesignated Nigeria as a CPC, citing severe violations of religious freedom and alleging widespread persecution of Christians.
He warned that the US could withdraw aid, and if necessary, consider military action, should the Nigerian government fail to curb the killings.
“If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the USA will stop all aid immediately and may very well go into that now-disgraced country ‘guns-a-blazing,’” Trump declared on November 1.
President Bola Tinubu rejected the claims, calling them “a misrepresentation” of Nigeria’s religious situation.
In a statement on X, Tinubu insisted that Nigeria remained committed to constitutional guarantees of religious liberty.
Nigeria has witnessed repeated assaults on Christian communities, involving extremist groups, kidnappings, and destruction of worship centres.
Nigeria was originally designated a CPC in 2020 under Trump, before being removed from the list by President Joe Biden.
Bishop Anagbe, one of Thursday’s key witnesses, has repeatedly highlighted attacks on Christian communities in Benue State, describing widespread displacement, church burnings, and killings by Islamist extremists and militant Fulani herdsmen.
Rep. Riley Moore (R-WV), speaking on Fox News, insisted that Congress is already conducting a thorough review of the alleged killings.
He accused the Nigerian government of downplaying the crisis.
He cited cases involving blasphemy laws, alleged discrimination, and what he described as disproportionate Christian casualties, claiming a “five-to-one” Christian-to-Muslim death ratio.
Moore also defended potential US involvement, saying, “We are a Christian nation… and we stand up for people being persecuted.”
He emphasised that sanctions and other diplomatic tools are on the table, alongside the President’s stated consideration of “military kinetic action.”
Pope Leo XIV has also expressed concern over recurring attacks on Christians in Nigeria.
In a post on X, the Pontiff lamented global persecution of Christians, naming Nigeria, Mozambique, Sudan, and Bangladesh as major hotspots.
He prayed for victims of recent massacres in the Democratic Republic of Congo and called for collective work toward peace.
In contrast to Trump’s rhetoric, US Congressman Bill Huizenga said in an interview with Arise TV that actual military intervention in Nigeria is unlikely.
He however stressed that Trump wants the killings to stop and that sanctions may be more effective in blocking terrorist financing.
Meanwhile, President Tinubu has sent Dr Abiodun Essiet, his Senior Special Assistant on Community Engagement (North Central), to Plateau State as part of efforts to foster peace.
Essiet met with Christian leaders, Miyetti Allah representatives, and youth groups across Bassa and Barkin Ladi LGAs.
A dispute between farmer David Toma and herders in the Gyel district of Jos South was also resolved, with the Miyetti Allah chairman paying N500,000 compensation after two cows were seized.
According to presidential aide Bayo Onanuga, all parties signed an agreement to maintain peace.
