US Congress Holds Hearing on Religious Freedom, with Nigeria in the Spotlight
The House Foreign Affairs Committee's Subcommittee on Africa and Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere are jointly holding a hearing titled “Defending Religious Freedom Around the World” on Wednesday. Witnesses, including experts and advocates, are expected to testify on escalating threats to religious freedom globally, with Nigeria emerging as a primary focus due to persistent reports of killings, displacement, church attacks, and communal violence disproportionately affecting Christian communities, particularly in the Middle Belt and northern regions. Prepared testimonies released ahead of the session warn that unchecked insecurity and patterns of violence could plunge Nigeria into deeper religious tensions, potentially escalating into widespread Christian-Muslim conflict. Former Kansas Governor and religious freedom advocate Sam Brownback described Nigeria in his remarks as “the deadliest place on the planet to be a Christian,” highlighting recurring displacement, targeted ki...