The United States House of Representatives Subcommittee on Africa will on Thursday, November 20, 2025, begin probing President Donald Trump’s redesignation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) over alleged religious persecution and Christian killings.
An invitation letter seen by Diaspora Digital Media shows the hearing will take place at 11:00 a.m. in Room 2172 of the Rayburn House Office Building, with a live webcast also available.
The session will be chaired by Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ).
Two panels of witnesses are expected to testify, including senior US State Department officials and prominent Nigerian religious leaders.
“You are respectfully requested to attend an open hearing of the Committee on Foreign Affairs…,” the invitation read.
Nigeria was first placed on the CPC list by Trump in 2020.
The designation was removed by President Joe Biden after he assumed office, but Trump reinstated it on October 31, 2025, citing alleged widespread attacks on Christian communities.
Trump’s Claims And Threats
The US President accused Islamic extremist groups of carrying out systematic killings, kidnappings, and church burnings across Nigeria.
He claimed Christianity faced “an existential threat” and threatened to halt all US aid to Nigeria unless the Tinubu administration “ended the persecution.”
Trump warned of possible military action, saying he had instructed the US “Department of War” to prepare for potential operations if the killings continued.
“If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians… the USA may very well go into that now-disgraced country, guns-a-blazing,” Trump said in a statement on November 1, 2025.
Witnesses Expected At The Congressional Hearing
The first panel will feature:
Jonathan Pratt, Senior Bureau Official, Bureau of African Affairs
Jacob McGee, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
The second panel will include:
Nina Shea, Director, Centre for Religious Freedom
Bishop Wilfred Anagbe, Catholic Diocese of Makurdi
Oge Onubogu, Centre for Strategic & International Studies
The hearing will examine the extent of religious persecution in Nigeria and explore policy responses such as targeted sanctions, humanitarian support, and cooperation with Nigerian authorities.
The matter is also before the US Senate, with Senator Ted Cruz sponsoring a related bill.
Tinubu Rejects Genocide Claim
Responding via his official X handle, President Bola Tinubu dismissed the genocide allegation, insisting that Nigeria remains committed to religious freedom.
“Nigeria stands firmly as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty… The characterisation of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality,” Tinubu wrote.
He said religious tolerance is part of Nigeria’s identity and warned against narratives that could deepen divisions.
Pope Leo XIV Raises Global Concern
Pope Leo XIV also expressed concern over attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria and other parts of the world. In a post on his verified X account, the Pope mentioned Nigeria, Mozambique, Sudan, and Bangladesh as regions experiencing rising violence against worship centres.
“In various parts of the world, Christians suffer discrimination and persecution,” the Pope said, praying for victims of recent violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo and calling for an end to bloodshed.
Tinubu Sends Emissary To Plateau
In a related development, President Tinubu dispatched Dr Abiodun Essiet to Plateau State to strengthen peace efforts amid recent communal tensions.
Essiet met Christian leaders, Miyetti Allah representatives, and members of the Irigwe and Bassa communities in a series of engagements aimed at restoring harmony.
According to presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, the President remains committed to a community-driven peace framework as a pathway to long-term stability in the North Central region.