“How can you trust a government that doesn’t show up?” — US lawmaker questions Nigeria’s response to insecurity.
The United States House Subcommittee on Africa on Thursday held a public hearing to examine President Donald Trump’s redesignation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), a decision that has triggered intense debate in Washington over allegations of religious persecution and the country’s deepening insecurity.
The hearing, which commenced at 5 p.m., reviewed the implications of the CPC status — a designation that could lead to sanctions against Nigerian officials found complicit in religious rights violations and may restrict certain forms of US bilateral assistance. The Senate is expected to consider whether to uphold the redesignation in the coming weeks.
In the course of the hearing, lawmakers expressed differing views on how the United States should engage Nigeria, one of its key partners on the African continent.
Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal cautioned her colleagues against adopting what she described as a confrontational approach toward Nigeria, particularly in response to President Trump’s recent threats of potential military action if attacks on Christians persist.
“I just wish we would stick to that playbook rather than bully and threaten Nigeria, which is extremely important to us in the region,” Jayapal said. “I don’t think it’s the right way to go on Truth Social and threaten with guns blazing.”
She urged Congress to support diplomatic and cooperative strategies rather than punitive rhetoric.
However, Congressman Riley Moore delivered a more critical assessment of the Nigerian government’s handling of insecurity, arguing that widespread distrust among citizens stems from repeated failures to respond to threats.
“The Nigerian people don’t trust their government. How can you trust a government that doesn’t show up when you ask them to?” Moore asked. He referenced a recent incident in Plateau State, where a pastor reportedly warned authorities of an imminent attack but received no intervention, only for officials to later dismiss the alert as fake news.
Moore insisted that Nigeria must work collaboratively with the United States to confront escalating violence, noting that he would be meeting with senior Nigerian government officials to discuss both the CPC designation and the broader security crisis.
A high-level Nigerian delegation is currently in Washington engaging with the House Subcommittee on Africa as both nations consider next steps toward addressing insecurity and improving civil-government trust.
Details expected to emerge as discussions continue.