US lawmakers and experts are holding a briefing to examine escalating violence against Christians in Nigeria, gathering testimony to support a report ordered by former President Trump and explore congressional actions to protect vulnerable religious communities.
Lawmakers from the House Appropriations, Foreign Affairs, and Financial Services Committees are expected to participate in a US congressional briefing alongside representatives from the US Commission on International Religious Freedom and other experts. According to the announcement, the session aims “to spotlight the escalating violence and targeted persecution of Christians in Nigeria” and to gather testimony for a comprehensive report ordered by former President Donald Trump on the killings of Christians, while outlining potential congressional steps to bolster White House efforts in protecting vulnerable religious communities globally.
The briefing coincides with intensified security discussions between Washington and the Nigerian government following a surge in terrorist attacks, with President Bola Tinubu approving the composition of Nigeria’s delegation to the US-Nigeria Joint Working Group, headed by National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu. While international scrutiny has grown since Trump claimed that Christians were being targeted for “genocide” in Nigeria, the Nigerian government strongly rejected the allegation, insisting that insecurity affects both Muslims and Christians in the country.