U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Riley Barnes told Congress that Nigerian security steps had not improved safety for Christians in the Middle Belt, while insecurity ranks as a leading campaign issue before the 2027 elections.
Reuters reported Friday that insecurity is Nigeria’s leading campaign issue ahead of the 2027 elections. The report also noted several threats: Islamist insurgency and banditry, farmer-herder clashes in northern regions, and ransom kidnappings in the south.
Reuters reported that the Trump administration designated Nigeria a “country of particular concern” in November 2025, accusing it of violating religious freedoms. President Donald Trump also threatened military action that month over the treatment of Christians.
Reuters reported that Nigeria’s government rejected the designation, saying it was based on misinformation and faulty data. Nigerian leaders have described the crisis as terrorism rather than persecution of Christians and said they would welcome U.S. help against Islamist insurgents if Nigeria’s territorial integrity is respected.
Barnes said Nigeria hired police, deployed forest guards and increased arrests and prosecutions after the U.S. designation. He said the measures had not improved security for Christian communities in the Middle Belt.
Assistant Secretary of State Frank Garcia told the congressional panel Thursday that the State Department was coordinating with Nigerian officials on attacks against Christian communities and efforts to hold perpetrators accountable. “Unfortunately, the violence has not stopped,” Garcia said.
U.S. Rep. Riley Moore, a West Virginia Republican, said violence against Christians in Plateau State had risen sharply. He argued Nigeria’s designation should remain, saying the government had not done enough to challenge militias in places where Christians are being killed. EconoTimes had previewed a House session on security in Nigeria’s Middle Belt.
Nigeria has more than 200 ethnic groups and communities practicing Christianity, Islam and traditional faiths. Reuters described a history of coexistence and said sporadic violence has often been linked to ethnic tensions and competition for scarce resources. The presidential and parliamentary elections are scheduled for Jan. 16, 2027.
