The House Foreign Affairs Committee's Africa Subcommittee will hold a Nov. 12 hearing on Nigeria's response to violence and efforts to protect communities in the Middle Belt, putting security and accountability before U.S. lawmakers.
The hearing is scheduled for 11 a.m. EST (16:00 UTC) in room 2172 of the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington. The first witness panel lists Frank Garcia, assistant secretary of state for African affairs, and Riley M. Barnes, an assistant secretary in the State Department's Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. A second panel includes Nina Shea of the Hudson Institute, Ryan Brown of Open Doors US and Oge Onubogu of the Center for Strategic and International Studies. The committee says the witness list may change.
Chairman Chris Smith's office says the subcommittee will examine violence it attributes to radical Islamist groups, including Boko Haram; Nigerian efforts to protect Christian and non-radical Muslim communities and prosecute perpetrators; and possible steps by the United States.
Garcia's prepared testimony says President Donald Trump announced Nigeria's designation as a Country of Particular Concern on Oct. 31, 2025. Garcia said a U.S.-Nigeria Joint Working Group met in Abuja in January 2026 and in Washington in August. He said, “Unfortunately, the violence has not stopped.”
Barnes said Nigerian government reports cited leadership changes, military deployments and more arrests and prosecutions. He added, “Abuja carries the burden of proof and there is still more work to be done.” Garcia's testimony says the administration seeks fewer attacks, stronger responses to warnings and accountability for perpetrators.
In written testimony, Open Doors US CEO Ryan Brown described several drivers of violence, including regional and ethnic conflicts, land disputes and hostility motivated by religion. He said affected communities face displacement, abduction and loss of livelihood.
The subcommittee held a hearing on Nigeria's redesignation as a Country of Particular Concern on Nov. 20, 2025. The next scheduled session is Nov. 12.
