The U.S. Home Overseas Affairs Subcommittee on Africa has accepted President Donald Trump to implement strict sanctions on Nigeria on account of ongoing non secular violence in opposition to Christians.

The choice got here after a congressional listening to the place lawmakers criticised the Nigerian authorities for not defending Christian communities. This violence has led to hundreds of deaths, and Nigeria accounts for 90% of Christians killed globally every year.

In a damning report from the Observatory for Spiritual Freedom in Africa, it was revealed that from October 2019 to September 2023, roughly 55,910 individuals had been killed and one other 21,000 had been kidnapped by terrorist teams in Nigeria.

Throughout the listening to, the severity of the scenario was emphasised by Bishop Wilfred Anagbe of Makurdi, who supplied an in depth account of the violence confronted by Christians in Nigeria. He described militant Fulani herdsmen as terrorists who commit widespread theft, vandalism, and homicide with out consequence.

The subcommittee criticized the Nigerian authorities for its incapability to curb these religiously motivated assaults, regardless of constitutional protections for non secular freedom. 

They pointed to using blasphemy legal guidelines to oppress non secular minorities and famous the federal government’s failure to deal with these points successfully.

Moreover, the subcommittee condemned the Biden administration for decreasing U.S. strain on Nigeria by eradicating it from the Nation of Specific Concern (CPC) record, which tracks nations with extreme violations of spiritual freedom. 

Regardless of suggestions to reinstate Nigeria on this record on account of worsening non secular persecution, it was not acted upon.

The subcommittee urged President Trump to re-designate Nigeria as a CPC and to debate straight with Nigerian President Bola Tinubu the safety of Christian communities. 

Additionally they referred to as for potential sanctions if the violence persists, emphasising that previous sanctions have led to constructive adjustments.