(DDM) — United States Congressman Bill Huizenga has strongly criticised the Nigerian government over what he described as its failure to decisively address the ongoing massacre of Christians across the country.
Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that the American lawmaker, who represents Michigan’s Fourth Congressional District, made the remarks while reacting to recent reports of large-scale attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria’s Middle Belt and parts of the North-West.
Huizenga said the world could no longer ignore the systematic and targeted killings of Christians, which he described as a form of slow-motion genocide.
According to him, Nigeria’s federal authorities have shown a disturbing pattern of silence and inaction, allowing armed groups to continue terrorising innocent citizens with little or no consequence.
“The Nigerian government is not doing enough to stop these atrocities,” Huizenga declared. “People are being slaughtered for their faith, and the global community must respond.”
He urged the United States government to consider targeted economic sanctions against Nigerian officials and security agencies accused of looking the other way while civilians are attacked.
Huizenga stressed that diplomatic and economic measures would be more effective than military intervention, as they would pressure the Nigerian government to take ownership of the crisis.
“The answer isn’t troops,” he said. “It’s accountability, through sanctions, human rights reporting, and restrictions on aid to those complicit in these killings.”
DDM learned that the Congressman’s comments followed growing international concern over reports from Benue, Plateau, Kaduna, and Taraba States, where armed groups have repeatedly raided Christian villages, leaving hundreds dead and thousands displaced.
Human rights organisations, including Open Doors USA and Amnesty International, have documented numerous incidents of killings, abductions, and church burnings in recent months, with survivors accusing local authorities of neglect and complicity.
Huizenga’s remarks echo a growing chorus of voices in the U.S. Congress and the European Parliament, urging global attention to what they describe as religiously motivated violence in Nigeria.
He noted that despite Nigeria being one of Africa’s largest democracies, the pattern of violence against Christians and other minorities “has persisted for far too long without meaningful government accountability.”
Political observers told DDM that such international rebukes could strain diplomatic relations between Abuja and Washington, particularly if sanctions or travel restrictions are eventually imposed on Nigerian officials.
Nigeria’s Federal Government has yet to issue an official response to Huizenga’s statement, but previous administrations have often denied claims of religious persecution, insisting that the violence is largely driven by ethnic and resource conflicts rather than faith-based discrimination.
Security experts argue, however, that the government’s repeated framing of the crisis as mere “clashes” ignores the growing ideological and religious undertones behind the killings.
DDM recalls that similar concerns were raised earlier this year by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), which recommended placing Nigeria back on the Special Watch List for religious freedom violations.
Huizenga’s intervention has reignited global debate on whether Nigeria’s leadership has done enough to safeguard the lives of its Christian population, particularly in rural communities under constant threat.
He concluded by calling on both U.S. and Nigerian authorities to work together on transparent investigations, humanitarian aid delivery, and the prosecution of those behind the recurring violence.
“The Nigerian people deserve peace, justice, and freedom of worship,” Huizenga said. “The world must not remain silent in the face of genocide.”
As of press time, no statement has been released by Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Office of the President in response to the Congressman’s remarks.
