The United States Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has, in previous submissions to the US government, called for Nigeria to be designated a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) over recurrent religious violence and the government’s failure to protect religious minorities.
NPO reports that the United States President, Donald Trump has on Friday designated Nigeria a “country of particular concern”
According to him, the degree of killings of Christians in Nigeria has reached an alarming peak adding that the United States cannot continue to watch without taking actions.
NPO Reports recalls that in its annual assessments, USCIRF faulted the Nigerian authorities for failing to prosecute perpetrators of religious violence, warning that this inaction fuels reprisals, deepens sectarian tensions, and weakens religious freedom.
A CPC designation under US law would expose Nigeria to possible diplomatic and economic consequences, including sanctions and restrictions on certain forms of American assistance.
Nigeria has been at the centre of repeated recommendations by the commission.
It was placed on the CPC list before being removed in November 2021.
In July 2022, five American senators asked the then-Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, to redesignate Nigeria as a CPC country over the deteriorating state of religious freedom in the country.
The Chairman of the Subcommittee, Chris Smith, urged President Donald Trump to impose harsh sanctions on Nigeria over the killing of Christians.
At the hearing of the subcommittee, Mr Smith condemned the former Secretary of State, Mr Blinken, for reversing Nigeria’s CPC status in 2021.
“One Nigerian Bishop challenged Blinken and said Christian persecution is “more intense than ever.” That was Bishop Mamza.
“And Genocide Watch has called Nigeria ‘a killing field of defenceless Christians,’” he said.
Mr Smith also stated that the Nigerian government has failed to tackle religiously motivated persecution of Christians “despite religious freedom being enshrined as an essential human right in its Constitution.”
“The Nigerian legal framework supports pluralism at both federal and state levels, but glaring contradictions exist, especially with laws that criminalise blasphemy – some even carrying the death penalty.”
While in office, Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari confirmed that during his visit to the US in 2018, he was confronted by US President Donald Trump, during first term in office, with the allegation of killing of Christians.