Following President Donald Trump’s recent re-designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) under the International Religious Freedom Act, the United States Congress has set Thursday, November 20, 2025 as the date for a high-profile hearing to examine and consider allegations of Christian persecution in the country.
The session which is expected to be chaired by Rep. Chris Smith, who is the head of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa is expected to take consider various submissions on the matter.
Rep Smith is one of the most vocal U.S. lawmakers raising concerns about religious violence in Nigeria and had introduced a resolution identifying the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) and Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore as entities allegedly involved in attacks on Christian communities.
The resolution by Smith proposed visa restrictions and asset freezes for members of the two groups and particularly recommended that “Fulani-Ethnic Militias” operating in Benue and Plateau States be added to the U.S. Entities of Particular Concern (EPC) list, citing their alleged involvement in deadly clashes.
A statement by Smith’s office said that Thursday’s hearing will investigate what it described as the “ongoing religious persecution of Christians by radical Islamists” and evaluate the broader consequences of Trump’s CPC re-designation for U.S.–Nigeria relations.
Expectedly, lawmakers will also assess what actions the U.S. State Department should take in response to what they call the “Nigerian government’s complicity in the crimes.”
The hearing will feature two panels of witnesses.
The first panel includes; Jonathan Pratt, Senior Bureau Official, Bureau of African Affairs, U.S. State Department, Jacob McGee, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, U.S. State Department.
Similarly, the second panel will feature experts and religious leaders, including: Nina Shea, Senior Fellow and Director, Center for Religious Freedom, Bishop Wilfred Anagbe, Makurdi Diocese, Nigeria, and Oge Onubogu, Director and Senior Fellow, Africa Program, Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS).
The outcome of the congressional review could influence future U.S. foreign policy toward Nigeria, including potential sanctions, aid adjustments, and diplomatic engagements tied to religious freedom and security concerns.
