US parliament to debate alleged Christians persecution in Nigeria
By Fola Ademosu
The United States is taking a step further in amplifying the fate of Nigerian Christians living in the northern region of the country in which a mix of ethno-religious strife, terrorism, and land resource challenges have led to hundreds of deaths of citizens over many decades.
On Thursday, the US House of Representatives’ Subcommittee on Africa will be holding a hearing on the purported Christian genocide mouthed by President Donald Trump and specific US politicians, particularly Sen. Ted Cruz — who, lately, has been discovered to be a lobbyist for Nigerian outlawed separatist group, the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB).
The hearing will centre on Trump’s labelling of Africa’s most populous country as a ‘Country of Particular Concern’, underscoring his allegation of ongoing religious persecution.
The hearing will be chaired by Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ), with some Nigerian religious leaders including Bishop Wilfred Anagbe of Makurdi Catholic Diocese, and Ms Oge Onubogu of the Centre for Strategic & International Studies attending.
Trump, in his previous remarks on the issue, threatened to order a military strike against terrorists targets in Nigeria and cut aid to the country. The US President, known for his rather unconventional approach to international diplomacy, described Nigeria as a “disgraced country” while blaming the federal government for being complacent to the killings of Christians.
The Nigerian government, however, has frantically denied the claim of a genocide against Christians even though it admits terrorists killings have affected all faiths.
