United States lawmakers renewed scrutiny of Nigeria’s religious freedom record during a congressional hearing in Washington DC on Wednesday. The session reviewed countries where lawmakers believe religious liberties are under significant pressure, a position Nigerian authorities have consistently rejected.
Chris Smith, who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, cited reports from Genocide Watch and described Nigeria as “a killing field of defenceless Christians.” He argued that the President’s decision to redesignate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern corrected an earlier lapse in American foreign policy.
Smith acknowledged what he called “small steps” by Nigerian authorities to address concerns, but he sharply criticised recent lobbying arrangements involving Nigerian officials and private actors. Nigeria’s government had previously engaged DCI Group in a contract worth about 9 million dollars to communicate its efforts on religious protection to US policymakers. In a separate agreement, Matthew Tonlagha of Tantita Security Services contracted Valcour Global Public Strategy for 120,000 dollars a month to advance bilateral relations.
Smith argued that the deals signalled “a culture of denial,” claiming that the firms produce polished narratives that downplay documented concerns. He expressed worry over the scale of the spending and the intent behind it.
Another lawmaker, Joaquin Castro, questioned the effectiveness of recent US strikes conducted in Nigeria, accusing the President Donald Trump administration of invoking the need to protect Christians while cutting programmes that could address underlying discrimination.
The hearing also debated the practical impact of the CPC redesignation. Some lawmakers argued that the measure functions mainly as a naming and shaming tool without enforceable penalties. Others said the designation has succeeded in drawing renewed global attention to Nigeria’s security and human rights challenges.
