A desperate federal government has moved to avert possible sanctions from the United States government after the US House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee recommended that the country be penalised for the widespread killing of Christians and religious violence.
The House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa gave President Donald Trump the green light to impose stringent sanctions on Nigeria.
The recommendation followed a congressional hearing on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, during which lawmakers condemned the Nigerian government for failing to protect Christian communities from escalating violence.
The committee also cited a 2024 report by the Observatory for Religious Freedom in Africa, which disclosed that Nigerians accounted for 90 per cent of all Christians killed worldwide each year.
The report documented that between October 2019 and September 2023, a staggering 55,910 people were killed, while 21,000 others were abducted by terrorist groups operating in the region.
During the hearing, Committee Chairman, Chris Smith, noted the severity of the crisis, making reference to the testimony from Bishop Wilfred Anagbe of the Catholic Diocese of Makurdi.
“One of our distinguished witnesses today—Bishop Wilfred Anagbe—travelled a long distance to be with us, and his testimony is both compelling and disturbing,” Smith said.
(Below is Bishop Anagbe’s testimony that swung the US House Committee)
Meanwhile, the Nigerian government has blamed it on a “wave of misinformation and misleading reports”, insisting there are religious undertones to the killings.
In a statement on Friday, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, stated: “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to express strong concern over the recent wave of misinformation and misleading reports regarding the supposed targeted killings of Christians in Nigeria.
“The unfortunate development is intended to influence foreign governments, especially the United States Government, to designate Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), due to the violence against Christians.
“While the Federal Government acknowledges the security challenges confronting the nation, it is imperative to clarify that these negative activities are not driven by religious bias, nor targeted against any particular religious group.
“It should be noted that the majority of incidents relating to insurgency and banditry that occur in the predominantly Muslim northern part of Nigeria are not targeted at followers of a particular faith or religion.
“Any narrative that seeks to give such incidents a coloration of religious persecution is erroneous and misleading.
“Nigeria is a multi-ethnic and multi-religious nation and the government remains committed to protecting the lives and properties of all citizens, irrespective of faith, ethnicity, or gender.
“The security issues in Nigeria are complex and multifaceted and manifest as criminality, terrorism and communal clashes – including farmer/herder confrontation, that do not have any religious connotation.
“The government of Nigeria, under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has taken significant steps to address these security concerns, including the deployment of security forces, intelligence gathering and community engagement initiatives.
“Indeed, the military has recorded substantial gains in curtailing the activities of bandits and insurgents. To bring an end to such security challenges, both the Federal and State authorities have embarked on kinetic and non-kinetic methods and expedited the implementation of the national livestock plan.
“To this end, a Ministry of Livestock Development has been established while a Special Adviser and Coordinator of Livestock Reforms, has been appointed to find sustainable solutions to pastoral farming, with a view to ending contestations over land, between farmers and pastoral herders.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, therefore, urges the international community to exercise caution and verify information before drawing conclusions or making statements that could exacerbate tensions within Nigeria.
“We call on all stakeholders, including the media, civil society organisations and foreign partners, to refrain from spreading unverified claims that could undermine national unity and stability.
“Nigeria remains a beacon of religious tolerance and coexistence in Africa and is committed to preserving this heritage. We welcome constructive dialogue and support from the international community in addressing our security challenges. However, we strongly reject any attempts to wrongly designate the country, distort the narrative, or sow seeds of discord among our people.”
