Testifying before a U.S. House subcommittee, Huizenga demands accountability as Nigeria faces renewed scrutiny over violence against Christians and moderate Muslims.
U.S. Congressman Bill Huizenga delivered an emotional testimony on Thursday, November 20, accusing President Bola Tinubu’s government of “sitting back” while widespread violence ravages Nigeria. His comments came during a House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa hearing examining Nigeria’s recent redesignation as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC).
Huizenga criticized the Tinubu administration for downplaying the scale and severity of the violence, calling out Nigeria’s delegation in Washington for making “excuses” instead of confronting the crisis head-on.
“It ought to be outrageous that … anyone being terrorised by these radicalised Islamists in Nigeria … and we’ve got the Tinubu government sitting back and not doing enough,” Huizenga said, his voice breaking at times during his testimony.
He recalled a Christmas Eve 2023 attack, which reportedly killed about 200 people, to underscore his point that the security situation in Nigeria has not significantly improved.
Huizenga also questioned patterns of religious violence, asking whether Christians have ever carried out attacks on Muslims at the scale witnessed in reverse. “Do we see Christians killing Muslims the way radicalised Islamists kill Christians …?” he challenged.
His criticisms align with broader international concern: former President Donald Trump recently reinstated Nigeria on the CPC list, citing “severe violations of religious freedom,” particularly the persecution of Christians.
Meanwhile, Huizenga emphasized that the real danger to both Nigerians and U.S. interests lies not in sanctions, but in the unchecked violence. In a conversation with BusinessDay, he warned that Nigeria’s insecurity remains the strongest deterrent to American investment in the country.
The hearing also involved testimony from senior U.S. State Department officials and Nigerian religious figures, including Bishop Wilfred Anagbe and policy expert Oge Onubogu of the Wilson Center.
As pressure mounts, the future of U.S.-Nigeria diplomatic engagements may hinge on whether the Tinubu government takes more decisive action to protect its citizens and address allegations of religious persecution.
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