US Congress sets hearing on Nigerian christian persecution claims for Thursday

The United States Congress is set to hold a hearing on Thursday to examine allegations of Christian persecution in Nigeria, following President Donald Trump’s recent decision to re-designate the country as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC).

According to a report by The Cable, the session will be chaired by Chris Smith, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, who has been one of the leading voices in the U.S. legislature advocating for scrutiny of religious freedom issues in Nigeria.

Smith had earlier introduced a resolution identifying the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) and the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore as groups allegedly involved in attacks. The resolution recommended sanctions against members of the organisations, including visa restrictions and asset freezes.

It further urged the U.S. government to designate “Fulani-Ethnic Militias” operating in Benue and Plateau states as Entities of Particular Concern (EPC) under the International Religious Freedom Act.

According to Smith’s office, Thursday’s congressional hearing will focus on what it described as the “ongoing religious persecution of Christians by radical Islamists,” the broader implications of Nigeria’s CPC status, and the steps the U.S. State Department should take in response to what the lawmakers claim is the Nigerian government’s “complicity in these crimes.”