The United States chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has formally requested to appear before the US House Subcommittee on Africa as lawmakers convene today (Thursday) to consider former President Donald Trump’s decision to redesignate Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) over alleged religious persecution.
In a letter addressed to the Subcommittee Chairman, Rep. Chris Smith, APC USA signalled its readiness to dispatch a high-level team to present what it described as “firsthand intelligence” and “verifiable data” on Nigeria’s security landscape.
Confirming the move in a statement issued in Abuja, APC USA Chairman Prof. Tai Balofin said the organisation aims to counter what it believes are oversimplified or inaccurate portrayals of Nigeria’s conflict dynamics.
“Religious freedom is fundamental, and we support it fully. But many narratives abroad fail to capture the underlying drivers of insecurity—banditry, resource struggles, climate-related pressures and transnational crime,” Balofin argued. “Congress needs a complete and nuanced picture to make informed decisions.”
Balofin added that APC USA intends to highlight what it considers measurable security improvements recorded under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, including the weakening of terrorist cells, better early-warning mechanisms and increased interfaith cooperation.
The group will also push for stronger US–Nigeria collaboration in intelligence, security operations and humanitarian support.
“Rep. Chris Smith has been a long-time advocate for human rights and religious liberty,” Balofin noted. “We believe his committee will benefit from a balanced, evidence-based contribution from APC USA.”
Backdrop of Diplomatic Tensions
The request comes amid friction between Abuja and Washington following Nigeria’s exclusion from a UN forum hosted by American rapper Nicki Minaj, which spotlighted alleged killings of members of a specific religious group in Nigeria.
Nigeria’s chargé d’affaires to the UN, Syndoph Endoni, criticised the decision, describing it as “shaving our head in our absence.” He insisted Nigeria needed to be present at any discussion involving such sensitive allegations.
US officials reportedly told Nigerian representatives that organisers opted for a “private” event to protect participants from reprisals—an explanation Nigeria found inadequate.
Endoni warned that unilateral initiatives risk exacerbating tensions and stressed the need for inclusive, transparent dialogue.
High-Stakes Subcommittee Hearing
The House Subcommittee on Africa is scheduled to convene at 11 a.m. in Room 2172 of the Rayburn House Office Building, with proceedings broadcast live. Lawmakers will deliberate on whether Nigeria should remain on the CPC list—a designation that could trigger sanctions against officials accused of violating religious freedoms and restrict certain forms of US assistance.
Expected witnesses include senior State Department officials Jonathan Pratt and Jacob McGee, Nina Shea of the Center for Religious Freedom, Bishop Wilfred Anagbe of the Makurdi Catholic Diocese, and Oge Onubogu of the Center for Strategic & International Studies.
The hearing will probe the extent of religious persecution in Nigeria and evaluate possible policy steps, ranging from sanctions to humanitarian interventions.
Trump’s Allegations and Abuja’s Pushback
On October 31, 2025, Donald Trump reinstated Nigeria’s CPC status, alleging widespread, targeted killings of Christians. He warned that the United States could halt aid—or intervene militarily—if Nigeria failed to address the issue.
“If the Nigerian government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the USA will immediately stop all aid and may very well go into that now-disgraced country ‘guns-a-blazing,’” Trump declared in a statement on November 1.
President Tinubu dismissed the claims as misinformed and damaging.
“Nigeria stands firmly as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty,” Tinubu posted on X. “Portraying Nigeria as religiously intolerant misrepresents our reality.”
The Nigerian government maintains that insecurity stems from criminal networks, socioeconomic hardship and environmental pressures—not from any state-backed religious persecution.
As US lawmakers meet today, the outcome of the hearing may shape the trajectory of future US-Nigeria relations and determine whether Washington upholds or reverses Nigeria’s CPC designation.
Source: Vanguard News
