The United States Congress is set to hold a fresh hearing on Nigeria’s worsening insecurity, with particular attention to attacks on Christian communities, government efforts to protect vulnerable populations and the growing violence across the country’s Middle Belt.
The hearing, scheduled for Thursday, November 12, 2026, will be chaired by Republican Congressman Chris Smith, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa.
Titled “One Year Later: Assessing Nigeria’s Efforts to Protect Christians and Secure the Middle Belt,” the session will examine the activities of extremist groups, the Nigerian government’s response to religious violence and possible measures Washington could take to address the crisis.
According to a statement released by Smith’s office on November 9, the hearing will assess attacks attributed to radical Islamist groups, including Boko Haram and armed groups described in the statement as Fulani terrorists.
It will also examine Nigeria’s efforts to bring perpetrators of violence to justice and protect Christian and non-radical Muslim communities.
The lawmakers are expected to consider whether Nigerian authorities are doing enough to prevent attacks, prosecute suspected perpetrators and safeguard vulnerable communities.
The hearing will take place at 11am Washington time at Room 2172 of the Rayburn House Office Building. This corresponds to 5pm Nigerian time. Proceedings will also be streamed live online.
US officials, rights advocates to testify
Two panels of witnesses are expected to appear before the congressional subcommittee.
The first panel will feature Frank Garcia, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, and Riley Barnes, Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labour.
The second panel will comprise Nina Shea, Senior Fellow and Director of the Centre for Religious Freedom at the Hudson Institute; Ryan Brown, Chief Executive Officer of Open Doors US; and Oge Onubogu, Director and Senior Fellow of the Africa Programme at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies.
Smith’s office described the session as his 14th congressional hearing focusing on the persecution of Christians in Nigeria.
Trump’s religious freedom designation
The planned hearing comes amid renewed tensions over Nigeria’s human rights and security record and increased scrutiny from the administration of US President Donald Trump.
On October 31, 2025, Trump redesignated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) under the International Religious Freedom Act, citing alleged severe violations of religious freedom.
Nigeria had previously received the designation in December 2020 during Trump’s first administration.
However, the administration of former President Joe Biden removed the country from the list in November 2021.
The CPC designation applies to countries whose governments engage in or tolerate particularly severe violations of religious freedom. It can trigger diplomatic and other measures under US law.
US military strikes in Nigeria
The diplomatic dispute has also coincided with increased security cooperation between Washington and Abuja.
On December 25, 2025, the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) announced airstrikes against Islamic State-linked militants in Sokoto State.
The operation, conducted in coordination with Nigerian authorities, targeted suspected terrorist camps. AFRICOM said its initial assessment indicated that multiple Islamic State militants had been killed.
The Nigerian government subsequently confirmed the operation, describing it as part of intelligence-sharing and counterterrorism cooperation between both countries.
Trump had presented the strikes as an effort to target militants responsible for attacks against Christians. Nigerian authorities, however, maintained that counterterrorism operations were directed against terrorist organisations rather than any particular religious group.
Nigeria rejects religious persecution narrative
The Federal Government has repeatedly rejected suggestions that insecurity in Nigeria is primarily a campaign of religious persecution against Christians.
It maintains that the country’s security challenges are complex and involve terrorism, banditry, farmer-herder conflicts, kidnapping and other forms of organised criminal violence.
The government has also emphasised that both Christians and Muslims have suffered attacks and casualties in different parts of the country.
Nevertheless, persistent killings, kidnappings, displacement and destruction of communities, particularly across parts of the Middle Belt, have continued to attract international concern.
Thursday’s congressional hearing is expected to provide another platform for US officials, researchers and religious freedom advocates to assess Nigeria’s security response and discuss possible actions by Washington.
