BREAKING: U.S. Lawmakers Declare Nigeria the ‘Deadliest Place on Earth to Be a Christian’

• U.S. lawmakers have raised fresh concerns over worsening violence against Christian communities in Nigeria, warning that the crisis has become one of the world’s most severe religious-freedom emergencies.

The U.S. House Subcommittee on Africa on Thursday held a high-level hearing on the growing violence against Christian communities in Nigeria, with lawmakers describing the situation as increasingly dire and unsustainable.

Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) said the testimony presented paints a grim picture of “systematic and escalating attacks” on predominantly Christian areas. He warned that Nigeria has become “ground zero” for some of the world’s deadliest religious-motivated killings.

Lawmakers from both parties questioned officials and experts as witnesses highlighted a collapse in security, widespread massacres, frequent kidnappings, and the impunity that has allowed violent groups to operate freely.

Smith referenced earlier remarks from Bishop Wilfred Anagbe of Makurdi Diocese, who reported that armed groups “kill, boast about it, kidnap, and rape — all without consequence.” He also cited the June 13 attack in Yola, where hundreds of civilians, including women and children, were slaughtered.

“This is not random violence,” Smith said. “Religion is clearly a major driver.”

He also noted that Muslims who speak out against extremist groups are often targeted as well, underscoring what he described as a national “culture of denial.”

Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.), the panel’s ranking member, agreed that Nigeria faces a devastating security crisis but cautioned against simplifying it into a single narrative. She pointed to overlapping causes — insurgencies, farmer-herder clashes, and organized banditry — stressing that victims cut across religious lines.

Jacobs condemned former President Trump’s comments about intervening militarily in Nigeria, calling such statements irresponsible and dangerous. She also criticized past cuts to U.S. peace-building programs that previously helped reduce violence in the region.

Rep. John James (R-Mich.) described the crisis as “one of the gravest religious-freedom emergencies in the world,” citing estimates that nearly 17,000 Christians have been killed since 2019.

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Joining by video, Bishop Anagbe detailed church attacks, mass displacement, and clergy targeted for kidnapping. He insisted that “more Christians are killed in Nigeria than in the rest of the world combined.”

Two senior U.S. State Department officials, Jonathan Pratt and Jacob McGee, defended the administration’s approach but acknowledged the severity of the killings. They described the situation as “a very serious security problem” and said Washington is developing an action plan to pressure Nigeria’s government to better protect vulnerable communities.

The hearing also addressed discriminatory laws in northern Nigeria, including blasphemy provisions that carry the death penalty in some states.

In one exchange, Rep. Marlin Stutzman (R-Ind.) asked whether the U.S. and Nigeria should be considered “frenemies,” prompting Oge Onubogu, director at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, to respond that both countries remain partners. However, she warned that reducing Nigeria’s crisis to a single narrative risks deepening divisions.

As the session wrapped up, Smith reiterated that Nigeria’s government has a constitutional duty to protect its citizens. “If it cannot stop the slaughter,” he said, “then America — and the world — must not look away.”