STM Update 5.17.25
The enormous scale of religious persecution in Nigeria has reached the highest levels of discussion in the US government. Deliberations continue regarding the status of Nigeria and the policy implications of the continuing crisis in Nigeria are discussed in this revealing video of a public hearing of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom on May 5. It is rather long, but the statements and testimony beginning at 9:35 are extremely informative.
Original Post 3.19.25
You can watch a video of the impassioned opening remarks at a public hearing on Religious Persecutions in Nigeria on 3.12.25 given by Rep. Chris Smith, chairman of the Africa Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3a4L11Wj_6A
You can read a condensed transcript of the Hearing here: https://foreignaffairs.house.gov/press-release/africa-subcommittee-chairman-smith-delivers-opening-remarks-at-hearing-on-religious-persecutions-in-nigeria/
BACKGROUND
The International Religious Freedom Act passed by the US Congress in 1998, requires the US President to annually review the status of every country in the world and designate any countries with severe violations of religious freedom as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC). If that designation is assigned to a country, various sanctions can be imposed on that CPC country by the US government. Nigeria was designated a CPC country during the first Trump administration, it was taken off the list during the Biden administration, and now the review is beginning again under the current Trump administration.
The International Religious Freedom Act also created a bipartisan commission to advise the US President in their decisions, called the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). For perspective, the bipartisan USCIRF has recommended that Nigeria be designated as a CPC each and every year since 2001, but presidents are not required to follow that USCIRF recommendation, it is only a bipartisan recommendation.
You can get more information on the International Religious Freedom Act and Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) here: https://www.state.gov/countries-of-particular-concern-special-watch-list-countries-entities-of-particular-concern/
You can get the annual USCIRF reports and other information about international religious freedom here: https://www.uscirf.gov/
NOTE: As a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity, Sharing the Mission is prohibited by law from engaging in ANY political activity, and as an organization we have no official position in this matter and we have no intent to try to persuade you one way or another. You must do your own research. But we can say that it is historically indisputable that since 2001, Nigeria has been a dangerous place to be a Christian both when it was designated as a CPC by the US President and when it was not designated as a CPC. But because this matter of religious violence in Nigeria has made it into the US national news recently, we simply want you to be aware that these public events and decisions are taking place and give you some resources to consider.
Photos & Video: ©Azigbo Dafe Samuel, ©AMEN, or ©Sharing the Mission - all used by permission. More info.