US lawmakers and foreign policy experts convened a rare joint congressional briefing to examine escalating violence and alleged targeted persecution of Christians in Nigeria. The session followed President Donald J. Trump’s directive to investigate reports of attacks on Christians and propose actionable solutions.

1. Advancing Policy Through Funding – Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart (R-FL)
Díaz-Balart emphasized that defending religious liberty worldwide is both a moral obligation and a strategic interest for the US. He committed to including measures protecting religious freedom in the FY26 funding bill and supporting full-year funding to strengthen these efforts.

2. Demand Justice and Disarmament – Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL)
Mast identified groups like Boko Haram, ISWAP, and radicalized Fulani militants as targeting Christians in Nigeria’s Middle Belt. He called on the Nigerian government to:

• Disarm these militias
• Return displaced families to their homes
• Hold perpetrators accountable

3. Accountability and Decisive Action – Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ)
Smith labeled Nigeria as “ground zero of religious violence” and stressed the Nigerian government’s constitutional duty to protect its citizens. He urged the US to hold Nigeria accountable and act decisively to save lives.

4. Standing with the Persecuted – Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-AL)
Aderholt called on the US to support Nigeria’s Christian communities and persecuted believers globally, emphasizing that the rising violence cannot be ignored.

5. Ending the Blind Eye – Rep. Riley Moore (R-WV)
Moore highlighted the importance of not ignoring the crisis. He thanked experts for providing testimony and pledged that the US would no longer turn a blind eye to attacks on Christians in Nigeria.

6. Degrading Terror and Constitutional Reform – Dr. Ebenezer Obadare
Obadare, CFR Senior Fellow, stressed that tackling Boko Haram is essential. He recommended:

• Collaborating with the Nigerian military to neutralize Boko Haram
• Pressuring President Tinubu to make Sharia law unconstitutional in the 12 northern states and disband Hisbah groups imposing Islamic law on citizens

7. Improving Accountability and Leveraging Aid – Hon. Vicky Hartzler
Hartzler urged the US to:

• Enhance Nigerian government accountability and transparency
• Better utilize US security assistance, including police training and conflict mediation
• Implement early warning systems to reduce community violence
• Provide technical support to counter violent insurgent groups

The hearing concluded with a unanimous call for immediate action to protect Nigerian Christians, strengthen governance, and hold perpetrators of violence accountable.