Holland Reporter

U.S. Representatives Bill Huizenga, Michael McCaul, and John James have written a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken demanding answers regarding the slaughter of Christians in Nigeria. The representatives are seeking information on the State Department's plan to address concerns for the lives of Nigerian Christians and the tragic loss of life simply for practicing their faith.

The letter specifically requests details on why Nigeria was removed as a Country of Particular Concern under the International Religious Freedom Act in 2021 and why the recent events in Nigeria failed to meet the threshold of concern. The representatives emphasize that the Biden Administration must prioritize religiously motivated violence in its engagement with the Nigerian Government.

In their letter, the representatives state, "This failure to designate Nigeria falls short of the needs of the Christian communities throughout Nigeria that are facing constant threats from jihadists." They highlight the presence of Islamic State terror groups such as ISIS, al-Shabaab, Boko Haram, and al-Qaeda, which perpetuate senseless violence across Africa. Violent assaults on churches and their congregations reportedly occur on a near-weekly basis in northern and central Nigeria.

The representatives express their concern over the State Department's failure to designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern, despite recommendations from the United States Commission for International Religious Freedom. They criticize the Department's inability to conduct basic diplomatic engagement by sending the Ambassador for Religious Freedom to investigate severe violations of religious freedoms in Nigeria.

The representatives call on the State Department to thoroughly report to Congress on its plan to address the concern for Nigerian Christians who have been slaughtered by Islamic Jihadists. They also request specific details on how the State Department plans to engage with the Nigerian Government to eliminate these atrocities from occurring.

The letter concludes by emphasizing the urgent need for action, stating, "Continuing to ignore the repeated massacring of a particular group of religious and ethnic people only perpetuates the cycle of violence. More must be done to combat these heinous acts."

The letter is signed by several representatives, including Chris Smith, Andy Ogles, and Harriet Hageman, among others.

The Representatives' letter highlights the urgent need for the Biden Administration to address the increasing violence against Christians in Nigeria. It calls for a reevaluation of the decision to not designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern and demands specific details on how the State Department plans to engage with the Nigerian Government to eliminate these atrocities. The representatives stress that religiously motivated violence must be made a top priority in U.S. engagement with Nigeria.