The United States House Appropriations Committee will on Tuesday convene a joint congressional briefing to examine what it describes as rising attacks and alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria.
A notice shared on X by U.S. Congressman Riley Moore confirmed that the session will be led by Appropriations Committee Vice Chair and National Security Subcommittee Chair, Mario Díaz-Balart.
Lawmakers from the House Appropriations, Foreign Affairs, and Financial Services Committees are expected to participate in the closed-door session.
According to the announcement, representatives of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) and other experts will present detailed assessments on the situation.
The briefing seeks to “spotlight the escalating violence and targeted persecution of Christians in Nigeria,” while also gathering testimony to support a comprehensive report ordered by former U.S. President Donald Trump on the killings of Christians in the country.
The roundtable is also expected to outline potential steps Congress could take to strengthen White House initiatives aimed at protecting vulnerable religious communities globally.
This development comes as Washington and the Nigerian government intensify security cooperation following a recent surge in terrorist attacks across Nigeria.
Last week, President Bola Tinubu approved the composition of Nigeria’s delegation to the U.S.–Nigeria Joint Working Group, a bilateral platform created to enhance collaboration on counterterrorism and related security threats. Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, will lead the team, which includes senior officials from key government agencies.
International scrutiny of Nigeria’s security situation has grown since former President Trump alleged that Christians in Nigeria were facing “genocide.”
However, the Federal Government of Nigeria has strongly rejected the claim, insisting that insecurity in the country affects citizens of all faiths, including Muslims and Christians.
