USCIRF Urges U.S. to Appoint Special Envoy for Nigeria Amid Religious Freedom Concerns

USCIRF Calls for Special Envoy to Address Religious Persecution in Nigeria

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has urged the Trump administration to appoint a Special Envoy for Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin to address increasing religious freedom violations.

In its latest report released in March 2025, USCIRF called for decisive action, recommending that the U.S. State Department take a stronger stance on Nigeria’s religious persecution crisis. The commission specifically requested that Nigeria be designated as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), alongside Afghanistan, India, and Vietnam, due to ongoing religiously motivated violence.

USCIRF Condemns Nigerian Government’s Inaction on Religious Violence

The report accused the Nigerian government, led by President Bola Tinubu, of either tolerating or failing to respond adequately to violent attacks carried out by extremist groups. These non-state actors, including Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), and Fulani militants, have continued to target religious communities across the country.

USCIRF also proposed that Boko Haram and ISWAP be redesignated as Entities of Particular Concern (EPCs). Other groups recommended for EPC designation include al-Shabaab, Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the Houthis, Islamic State – Sahel Province (ISSP), and Jamaat Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM).

The commission further called for maintaining Algeria and Azerbaijan on the Special Watch List (SWL) while adding 10 more nations, including Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Syria, Turkey, and Uzbekistan.

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USCIRF Highlights Specific Cases of Religious Persecution

The report highlighted numerous instances of religiously motivated violence in Nigeria throughout 2024. It noted that federal and state governments continued to enforce blasphemy laws, which can result in up to two years in prison. Several individuals, including Mubarak Bala, Yahaya Sharif–Aminu, and Sheikh Abduljabar Nasiru Kabara, remained in custody on blasphemy charges.

It also documented multiple violent incidents, including:

• In January, suspected Boko Haram fighters killed 14 people, including a pastor, in Yobe State.
• In May, al-Qaeda-linked Ansaru gunmen abducted 160 Christian children and killed eight people in Niger State.
• ISWAP insurgents reportedly executed three Christians and circulated images of the killings online.
• In November, the Lakurawa group, enforcing a strict interpretation of Shari’a law, allegedly killed 15 people in Kebbi State.
• Bandits killed at least 49 people in Zamfara and 10 farmers in Niger State in May.
• In August, 70 Christians were killed and 20 students kidnapped in Benue State.

U.S. Urged to Take Stronger Action Against Religious Persecution

USCIRF criticized the Nigerian security forces for their slow response to religious violence, which has resulted in thousands of deaths. The report estimated that approximately 30,000 Fulani militants operate in northwestern Nigeria, targeting Christian communities through violent raids and extralegal taxation.

The commission’s findings have renewed calls for the U.S. to intensify diplomatic efforts and humanitarian interventions in Nigeria. With religious violence worsening, USCIRF’s recommendations emphasize the urgent need for international pressure on the Nigerian government to protect vulnerable religious communities.