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The United States chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has formally requested to appear before the US House Subcommittee on Africa today, Thursday, as American legislators revisit former President Donald Trump’s decision to redesignate Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” over allegations of religious persecution.
In a letter sent to the Subcommittee Chairman, Rep. Chris Smith, APC USA said it was ready to send a senior team to provide what it described as “firsthand intelligence and verifiable data” on the security situation in Nigeria.
APC USA Chairman, Prof. Tai Balofin, confirmed the request in a statement released in Abuja. He explained that the group intends to help clarify what it believes are widespread misconceptions about Nigeria’s complex security realities.
“We support religious freedom for all Nigerians, but narratives abroad often fail to reflect the full complexity of the crisis,” Balofin stated. “The insecurity in Nigeria is driven by banditry, resource conflict, climate pressures and transnational crime-not solely by religious persecution. Congress deserves the complete picture before reaching conclusions.”
Balofin added that the proposed testimony will also draw attention to what the group considers progress under President Bola Tinubu, including gains against extremist groups, better early-warning mechanisms and improved interfaith cooperation. He cited reports from Nigerian agencies and international observers in support of the claims.
The APC USA delegation is also expected to call for stronger collaboration between the United States and Nigeria, especially in security, intelligence exchange and humanitarian assistance.
“Chairman Chris Smith has long championed human rights and religious liberty,” Balofin said. “We respectfully ask him to grant APC USA the opportunity to contribute to a fair, accurate and solution-driven discussion.”
The development comes shortly after Nigeria criticised the United States for excluding it from a UN event led by American rapper Nicki Minaj, which focused on allegations of killings targeting a specific religious group.
Nigeria’s chargé d’affaires to the UN, Syndoph Endoni, condemned the exclusion, comparing it to “shaving our head in our absence.”
“It is important that the country at the centre of such allegations is present and has a voice,” he said, adding that US officials told Nigerian diplomats the organisers wanted the event “private” due to concerns about possible reprisals against participants.
Endoni warned that actions taken without consultation could worsen tensions and stressed that open dialogue was necessary to make progress.
The US House Subcommittee on Africa will hold its meeting at 11 a.m. today in Room 2172 of the Rayburn House Office Building, where discussions on Nigeria’s CPC status will be broadcast live.
If the designation is confirmed, it could lead to sanctions on Nigerian officials accused of restricting religious freedom and may limit certain categories of US assistance.
Those expected to testify include senior officials from the US State Department, Jonathan Pratt and Jacob McGee; the Director of the Center for Religious Freedom, Nina Shea; Bishop Wilfred Anagbe from the Makurdi Catholic Diocese; and Oge Onubogu of the Center for Strategic & International Studies.
The session will look into the extent of religious persecution in Nigeria and outline possible policy actions, including sanctions and humanitarian intervention.
Trump’s Claim and Nigeria’s Reaction
On 31 October 2025, former President Donald Trump redesignated Nigeria as a CPC, alleging that Christians were being severely targeted. He claimed “thousands” had been killed and warned that the US might withdraw aid or even consider military involvement if Nigeria failed to respond.
“If the Nigerian government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the USA will immediately stop all aid and may very well go into that now-disgraced country ‘guns-a-blazing,’” Trump said in a statement issued on 1 November.
President Bola Tinubu firmly rejected the allegations.
“Nigeria stands firmly as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty,” Tinubu said on X. “The characterisation of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality. Religious freedom and tolerance remain core to our identity.”
Nigeria has maintained that its security problems stem from criminality, economic pressures and environmental challenges rather than state-sponsored persecution.
The outcome of today’s hearing may influence the future shape of US–Nigeria relations, depending on whether lawmakers decide to maintain or reconsider the CPC designation.
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