U.S. Senators Push For Nigeria To Be Re-Listed As ‘Country of Particular Concern’ Due to Continuous T£rrorist Ki!lings of Christians

U.S. Senators Push For Nigeria To Be Re-Listed As ‘Country of Particular Concern’ Due to Continuous Terrorist Killings of Christians

A group of Republican senators in the United States has urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio to re-designate Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) under the International Religious Freedom Act, citing rising violence against Christians, says a report by SaharaReporters.

In a joint letter, Senators Ted Budd, Josh Hawley, Pete Ricketts, Ted Cruz, and James Lankford alleged that Nigeria has witnessed “unchecked acts of terrorism” targeting religious minorities. They recalled that Nigeria was first placed on the CPC list in 2020 by then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo but was removed in 2021 under Antony Blinken.

The senators pointed to several deadly attacks, including the reported killing of at least 200 Christians in Benue State in June 2025. They also referenced kidnappings and mass killings in Niger and Benue states in 2024, mostly targeting Christians.

“Reports suggest Nigeria remains one of the most dangerous places in the world to be Christian,” the lawmakers said, citing statistics that over 3,000 of 4,476 Christians killed globally within a recent reporting period were Nigerians.

They urged Secretary Rubio to take decisive action, stressing that religious persecution in Nigeria requires stronger U.S. engagement.

Document Source: SaharaReporters
The push follows repeated warnings from the U.S. State Department, which recently said it remained “deeply concerned” about escalating violence by Boko Haram, ISIS-West Africa, and armed groups. Advocacy group Open Doors also ranks Nigeria seventh on its global watchlist for Christian persecution.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian government has rejected claims of systematic targeting of Christians, describing such reports as “false and divisive.”