Washington, D.C. – December 2, 2025
In a bold move underscoring the Trump administration's renewed focus on global religious freedom, President Donald J. Trump has personally instructed the Republican-led House Appropriations Committee to launch a comprehensive congressional investigation into the alleged systematic persecution of Christians in Nigeria. The directive, announced today by U.S. Congressman Riley M. Moore (R-WV), a key member of the committee, signals a potential escalation in U.S. policy toward Africa's most populous nation, where reports indicate thousands of believers have been killed in faith-motivated violence this year alone.
Moore, who has been a vocal advocate for persecuted Christian communities in Africa, revealed the president's order during a post on his verified X account. "President Trump asked me and @HouseAppropsGOP to investigate the persecution of Christians in Nigeria," Moore wrote. "As part of this investigation, the committee is hosting a roundtable to continue building on the work we’ve done so far." The roundtable, scheduled for later this week and convened by House Appropriations Committee Vice Chair Mario Díaz-Balart alongside members from the Foreign Affairs and Financial Services Committees, aims to gather testimony from experts, human rights organizations, and religious leaders. This session is poised to inform a detailed report on the "massacre of Nigerian Christians" and outline legislative steps Congress can take to bolster the White House's efforts in safeguarding vulnerable faith communities worldwide.
The probe builds on a series of high-profile actions by the Trump administration dating back to late October. On October 31, Trump redesignated Nigeria as a "Country of Particular Concern" (CPC) under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, a label reserved for nations engaging in or tolerating severe violations of religious freedom. This marks the second time during Trump's tenure that Nigeria has received the designation; it was first applied in his initial term but lifted by the Biden administration in 2021. In announcing the CPC status, Trump cited an "existential threat" to Christianity in Nigeria, claiming "thousands" of Christians had been slaughtered by radical Islamists, including groups like Boko Haram, ISIS West Africa Province (ISWAP), and Fulani militants. He simultaneously tasked Moore and House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) with leading an initial inquiry, emphasizing that the U.S. "cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening."
This latest directive amplifies congressional momentum that has been building for months. In March 2025, the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa held a pivotal hearing titled "Conflict and Persecution in Nigeria: The Case for a CPC Designation," where testimony from Nigerian Bishop Wilfred Anagbe of the Makurdi Catholic Diocese painted a harrowing picture of targeted violence. Anagbe recounted how militants razed entire Christian villages in Benue State, killing over 20 people in a single raid on his home community just days after his congressional appearance. The subcommittee subsequently approved measures urging Trump to impose sanctions on Nigerian officials complicit in the violence, highlighting failures in the country's security apparatus to protect religious minorities.
Data underscoring the crisis is stark and multifaceted. According to the Nigeria-based International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law (Intersociety), more than 7,000 Christians were killed in targeted attacks in the first seven months of 2025 alone—an average of 35 deaths per day—with an additional 7,800 kidnappings reported. Open Doors, a global watchdog on Christian persecution, ranks Nigeria as the deadliest country for believers, accounting for nearly 70% of worldwide Christian fatalities in recent years. Their 2025 World Watch List report documents escalating jihadist violence in northern Muslim-majority states, where rural Christian communities face routine raids, church burnings, and forced displacements. In the central Middle Belt regions like Benue and Plateau States, farmer-herder clashes—often framed along religious lines—have displaced over 500,000 people since May 2023, with more than 9,500 deaths, predominantly among Christians.
Since 2009, estimates suggest 50,000 to 100,000 Christians have been murdered, with 19,000 churches destroyed, according to advocacy groups like the International Christian Concern (ICC). Blasphemy laws enforced under Sharia in 12 northern states further exacerbate the issue, disproportionately targeting Christians and leading to mob violence or extrajudicial executions. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has repeatedly criticized Nigeria's federal and state governments for "tolerating" these violations, recommending the CPC label to enable sanctions and aid restrictions.
Yet, the narrative is contested. Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, a Muslim whose vice president, Kashim Shettima, is also Muslim, has vehemently denied claims of state-sponsored genocide, asserting that Nigeria upholds constitutional protections for all faiths and that violence stems from broader insecurity rather than religious targeting. Independent analysts, including the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), argue that while Christians face disproportionate risks in certain regions, the overall death toll from political violence since 2009—nearly 53,000 civilians—includes Muslims as primary victims of groups like Boko Haram, whose insurgency has killed tens of thousands across faiths. ACLED data from 2020 to September 2025 identifies only 384 incidents explicitly targeting Christians religiously, resulting in 317 deaths—a fraction of the total 21,000 civilian fatalities. Critics, including Al Jazeera and The Conversation, warn that inflated figures from advocacy groups like Intersociety may conflate general terrorism with faith-based persecution, potentially driven by U.S. evangelical lobbying.
Trump's rhetoric has been unyielding. In early November, he threatened military action, directing the Department of Defense to "prepare for possible action" against Islamist militants and warning of halting all U.S. aid—currently including $32.5 million in humanitarian support for displaced persons—if protections for Christians do not improve. "If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our cherished Christians!" he posted on Truth Social. Tinubu responded by pledging collaboration with the U.S. on counterterrorism, dispatching National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu to Washington for joint briefings.
The congressional probe arrives amid a flurry of related legislative efforts. On November 7, Moore introduced House Resolution 594, condemning the persecution and garnering endorsements from over a dozen faith-based groups, including the Family Research Council and In Defense of Christians. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) followed suit with the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025, which would sanction officials facilitating jihadist attacks and enforce blasphemy law accountability. An earlier November 20 hearing by the House Africa Subcommittee featured panels with State Department officials, Nina Shea of the Hudson Institute's Center for Religious Freedom, and Bishop Anagbe, who reiterated calls for international intervention.
Public figures have amplified the issue. Rapper Nicki Minaj praised Trump's stance on X, stating, "We live in a country where we can freely worship God. No group should ever be persecuted for practicing their religion." U.S. Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz hosted a November 18 event at UN headquarters, where ADF International's Sean Nelson urged sustained global pressure: "The United States under President Trump’s leadership will not turn a blind eye."
As the roundtable unfolds, stakeholders anticipate recommendations ranging from targeted sanctions—potentially ratified by the Senate—to increased humanitarian aid and enhanced intelligence-sharing with Nigerian forces. European Parliament members, in a parallel query, have pressed the EU for bolstered protections and assistance in affected areas. For Nigerian Christians like those in displaced camps in Benue, where families huddle in makeshift shelters amid ongoing threats, the probe represents a glimmer of hope. "We pray for justice, not just words," said one anonymous pastor reached via ICC networks.
Critics caution that oversimplifying Nigeria's violence as purely religious risks alienating Muslim allies and ignoring root causes like climate-driven resource conflicts. The International Crisis Group warns that U.S. threats of intervention could destabilize the region without addressing governance failures. Nonetheless, with over 12 million Christians displaced since 2009 and daily risks persisting, the House investigation—directed by a president known for decisive foreign policy—could redefine U.S.-Nigeria ties.
As Congress delves deeper, the world watches: Will this probe yield accountability, or exacerbate divides in a nation teetering on the brink? For now, it reaffirms America's role as a beacon for the persecuted, echoing Trump's pledge: "When Christians, or any such group, are slaughtered... something must be done."
