U.S. Senator Ted Cruz has alleged that Nigerian officials are complicit in facilitating violence against Christians, making the claims during a Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee hearing on counterterrorism in Africa.
Speaking at the hearing, Cruz said Nigeria accounts for the highest number of killings of Christians globally, alleging that tens of thousands have been killed since 2009 and thousands of churches and religious institutions destroyed.
“More Christians are killed for their faith in Nigeria than anywhere else in the world,” he said, further claiming that some Nigerian officials have been “complicit in facilitating these atrocities.”
Cruz also linked the violence to the implementation of Sharia law in several northern states and criticized what he described as a slow response by Nigerian authorities to ongoing security challenges.
The lawmaker noted that he had previously engaged with Nigerian security officials but said he would judge their commitment based on tangible outcomes, which he argued are yet to materialise.
He referenced his proposed legislation, the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025, aimed at holding Nigerian government officials accountable for alleged violations related to religious violence.
However, a senior official from the U.S. State Department offered a more measured assessment, indicating that Nigeria has shown signs of cooperation with the United States.
Nick Checker, representing the Bureau of African Affairs, said Nigeria has taken steps such as leadership changes within security agencies, increased troop recruitment, and deployment of forest guards to violence-prone areas, particularly in the Middle Belt.
Checker added that there has also been an increase in prosecutions related to terrorism, describing these developments as “positive movements.”
He further highlighted ongoing collaboration between both countries, including a high-level working group established after talks between Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and U.S. Under Secretary of State Allison Hooker.
While acknowledging progress, Checker noted that more work remains and emphasized that the United States will continue to engage Nigeria to ensure further improvements in addressing security concerns.
