U.S Senators want Nigeria Reinstated on ‘Religious Freedom Concern’ List

United State Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging him to immediately redesignate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) under the International Religious Freedom Act.

Recent acts of violence targeting Nigerian Christians have underscored the deteriorating state of religious freedom in the country, he said.

Joining Senator Hawley’s letter are Senators Mike Braun (R-Ind.),Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), and Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.).

“Religious violence and intolerance directed toward Nigerian Christians have worsened in recent years. One report documented more than 4,650 cases of Nigerian Christians who were killed for their faith in 2021. Accordingly, Nigeria earns the dubious honor—for the second consecutive year—of being the deadliest country on earth for Christians,” the senators wrote.

They added, “Given the abysmal state of religious freedom in Nigeria, it is incumbent upon you to reverse last year’s decision and redesignate the country as a CPC. The moment demands that you do so without delay.”

Senator Hawley and his FROOHDJXHV ÀUVW ZURWH WR 6HFretary Blinken on this matter in December 2021, after the State Department inexplicably removed Nigeria from the CPC list.

The Senators stated that ´KRUULÀF DFWV RI GHDGO\ YLROHQFH have been committed against Nigerian Christians,” in their lette, which copy was sent to the Honorable Rashad Hussain, Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, United States Department of State.