Nigeria Faces Risk of Christian-Muslim Violence Amid Global Religious Crisis, US Committee Warns

The US Congress Foreign Affairs Committee has issued a warning that Nigeria is at risk of descending into widespread Christian-Muslim violence amidst a global religious crisis. In a written testimony released ahead of a joint hearing by the House Subcommittee on Africa and the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, the committee highlighted the escalating threats to religious freedom worldwide.

The testimony, featuring key figures like former US Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback, emphasized Nigeria's early-stage involvement in a broader religious conflict with implications beyond its borders. The situation in Nigeria was described as a central flashpoint in the emerging continent-wide crisis of radical militant Islam, with concerns raised about the country becoming one of the most dangerous places for Christians globally.

The testimony also criticized the US government for its perceived failure to fully implement the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 and expressed concerns about delays in releasing the US religious freedom report. Despite Nigerian government denials of persecuting Christians, the issue of insecurity affecting the country's religious communities has intensified in recent months, prompting increased security cooperation between Nigeria and the US.