The United States House of Representatives Subcommittee on Africa will conduct an open hearing on November 20, 2025, regarding President Donald Trump's redesignation of Nigeria as a "Country of Particular Concern" (CPC). This designation, pending Senate ratification, would enable the US to impose sanctions on Nigerian officials involved in religious persecution and signal that religious freedom in Nigeria is at risk. The hearing will be chaired by Representative Chris Smith and feature panels of US State Department officials and Nigerian religious leaders discussing the scope of religious persecution and potential policy responses.Trump's October 31 designation cited severe violations of religious freedom, especially against Christians, and threatened military action and aid cessation if the Nigerian government does not address these issues. President Bola Tinubu has challenged this characterization, asserting Nigeria's commitment to religious liberty. Meanwhile, congressional members express concern over the rising violence against Christians in Nigeria, emphasizing the need for US intervention based on the humanitarian crisis and religious persecution occurring there.
Index to Nigerian Newspapers
