By Parrot Newspaper 
Christian Killings: U.S. Lawmakers Back Trump on Sanctioning Nigeria
By Ricky Awodi
The United States House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa has authorized President Donald Trump to impose tough sanctions on Nigeria, citing the Nigerian government’s failure to protect Christian communities from relentless attacks.
The decision followed a congressional hearing on Wednesday, March 12, where U.S. lawmakers condemned what they described as the Nigerian government’s inaction in curbing religiously motivated violence. The committee referenced a 2024 report by the Observatory for Religious Freedom in Africa, which found that Nigeria accounted for 90% of all Christians killed worldwide each year.
Disturbing Statistics and Testimonies
According to the report, between October 2019 and September 2023, an alarming 55,910 people were killed, while 21,000 others were abducted by terrorist groups operating in the country.
During the hearing, Committee Chairman Chris Smith presented testimony from Bishop Wilfred Anagbe of the Diocese of Makurdi, Nigeria, whose account painted a grim picture of widespread religious violence.
“Militant Fulani herdsmen are terrorists. They steal and vandalize, they kill and boast about it, they kidnap and rape, and they enjoy total impunity from elected officials,” Smith stated, emphasizing that the attacks were religiously motivated.
The congressional panel strongly criticized Nigeria’s judicial system, accusing it of being weaponized to suppress Christian communities. Lawmakers pointed to instances where blasphemy laws were used to target religious minorities, despite constitutional protections for religious freedom.
Calls for Decisive U.S. Action
Chairman Smith blamed the previous administration of President Joe Biden for weakening U.S. pressure on Nigeria by removing the country from the “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) list—a designation meant for nations where religious persecution is severe.
“Under President Biden, Nigeria was removed from the CPC list, despite overwhelming evidence that religious persecution had worsened,” he noted, adding that the Biden administration ignored repeated recommendations from the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (2021–2024).
Smith urged President Trump to reinstate Nigeria’s CPC status and engage directly with President Bola Tinubu to ensure better protection for Christian communities.
“I fully expect President Trump to redesignate Nigeria as a CPC and to take additional steps to support the persecuted church,” Smith stated, revealing that he had reintroduced a resolution on the matter.
Implications for Nigeria
If President Trump acts on the committee’s recommendations, Nigeria could face severe economic and diplomatic repercussions, including:
Travel restrictions on Nigerian officials linked to religious violence
Reduction in U.S. financial aid and military assistance
Economic sanctions targeting Nigerian businesses and government institutions
With international pressure mounting, Nigeria’s leadership now faces a critical test: Will it take meaningful action to protect Christian communities, or risk international isolation?