Hobnob News reports that the United States chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has requested to testify before the US House Subcommittee on Africa today (Thursday), as American lawmakers review former President Donald Trump’s redesignation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) over alleged religious persecution.
In a letter to Subcommittee Chairman Chris Smith, the APC USA said it was prepared to send a high-level delegation to provide what it described as firsthand intelligence and verifiable security data from Nigeria.
The request was confirmed in a statement issued by the APC USA Chairman, Prof. Tai Balofin.
Balofin stressed that while the party supports religious freedom, international discussions often oversimplify Nigeria’s security situation, which he said is driven by multiple factors including banditry, climate stress, resource disputes, and transnational crime — not solely religious persecution.
He said the delegation was ready to appear before Congress at short notice to give what he called “a complete picture.”
According to him, the testimony would also highlight what the group considers notable security gains under President Bola Tinubu, including progress in degrading terrorist networks, improvements in early-warning systems, and initiatives strengthening interfaith harmony.
He added that recent reductions in attacks across several hotspot regions have been documented by both Nigerian authorities and independent monitors.
The APC USA also plans to present proposals for stronger US–Nigeria cooperation in intelligence-sharing, security assistance, and humanitarian support.
Balofin said, “Chairman Chris Smith has long championed human rights worldwide. We respectfully request that APC USA — the official voice of Nigeria’s democratically elected government in the United States — be granted the opportunity to contribute to an informed, solution-focused discussion.”
Nigeria Condemns Exclusion From UN Event on Alleged Religious Killings
The APC USA’s request comes shortly after Nigeria criticised the US for excluding it from a UN event hosted by American rapper Nicki Minaj, which focused on alleged genocide against Nigerian Christians.
Nigeria’s chargé d’affaires to the UN, Syndoph Endoni, described the exclusion as “shaving our head in our absence,” warning that discussing Nigeria without its representation could heighten diplomatic tensions.
Endoni said that while some countries and a Nigerian pastor were invited, officials of the Nigerian government were deliberately omitted.
According to him, US officials later claimed the event was “private,” and organisers insisted on excluding Nigerian government representatives due to fears of reprisals against participants.
He cautioned that such unilateral actions could worsen tensions and reiterated that cooperation — not exclusion — was key to addressing security challenges.
US Congress Set to Examine Nigeria’s CPC Redesignation
The US House Subcommittee on Africa is scheduled to hold a public hearing at 11:00 a.m. today in Room 2172 of the Rayburn House Office Building, with a livestream available.
Witnesses will include top US State Department officials, religious leaders, and experts on religious freedom.
According to the congressional invitation obtained by Hobnob News, panelists will include:
Jonathan Pratt, Senior Bureau Official, Bureau of African Affairs
Jacob McGee, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights & Labor
Nina Shea, Director, Center for Religious Freedom
Bishop Wilfred Anagbe (Makurdi Catholic Diocese)
Ms. Oge Onubogu, Center for Strategic & International Studies
The hearing will assess whether religious persecution in Nigeria warrants US policy responses such as targeted sanctions, humanitarian interventions, or expanded cooperation with Abuja.
Trump’s Designation Sparks Diplomatic Reactions
On October 31, 2025, former President Donald Trump redesignated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern, citing what he described as severe violations of religious freedom and alleged mass killings of Christians by Islamist extremists.
Trump warned that the US could halt aid to Nigeria or even consider military intervention if the Tinubu administration fails to curb the killings.
“If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the USA will stop all aid and may very well go in, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to wipe out the Islamic terrorists committing these atrocities,” Trump said on November 1.
Tinubu Rejects Claims, Says Nigeria Remains a Religious Democracy
President Bola Tinubu dismissed Trump’s claims as a misrepresentation of Nigeria’s religious reality, insisting that the country remains committed to religious freedom.
“Nigeria stands firmly as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty. Characterising Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality,” Tinubu stated.
He added that interfaith coexistence has always been central to Nigeria’s identity and will remain so.
