US Congress meets on Nigeria amid surge in mass kidnappings

By : 'Sola Akinsanmi

Date: 2 December 2025 11:55am WAT

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US Congress

US Congress

The United States House Appropriations Committee is convening a joint congressional briefing on Tuesday to examine the rising wave of mass abductions and targeted attacks in Nigeria, particularly against Christian communities, committee officials have announced.

The session will be chaired by House Appropriations Committee Vice Chair and National Security Subcommittee Chairman, Mario Díaz-Balart, and will include members of the Foreign Affairs and Financial Services Committees. Representatives from the US Commission on International Religious Freedom and other experts are scheduled to participate.

According to US Congressman Riley Moore, the briefing aims “to spotlight the escalating violence and targeted persecution of Christians in Nigeria.” Officials said the roundtable will collect testimony to inform a comprehensive report “directed by President Trump on the massacre of Nigerian Christians and the steps Congress can take to support the White House’s efforts to protect vulnerable faith communities worldwide.”

The meeting comes amid intensified US–Nigeria security cooperation. President Bola Tinubu recently approved Nigeria’s participation in the US–Nigeria Joint Working Group, established to implement security agreements from high-level talks in Washington led by National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu. The group, comprising senior ministers and security officials, is tasked with enhancing counterterrorism measures, intelligence sharing, border security, and coordination on humanitarian and civilian protection issues.

Nigeria has experienced a surge of mass kidnappings in recent weeks. Over the past fortnight, gunmen have abducted hundreds of people across multiple states, including more than 300 students and teachers from St Mary’s Catholic School in Niger State, nine onion farmers in Borno State, and a bride with 10 bridesmaids in Sokoto State. Security reports indicate that between July 2024 and June 2025, at least 4,722 people were kidnapped in 997 separate incidents, resulting in at least 762 deaths, with ransom payments amounting to some N2.57 billion.

The wave of attacks has prompted President Tinubu to declare a nationwide security emergency, redeploy police personnel from VIP protection to core duties, and authorise the recruitment of an additional 50,000 officers.

Analysts have noted that criminal gangs, often described as “bandits,” now operate as profit-seeking organisations, with some forming alliances with jihadist groups in the northeast, complicating government responses.

US officials, citing the targeting of Christians, have threatened military action unless further protective measures are implemented. Nigerian authorities and independent analysts have disputed claims framing the violence as religiously motivated, noting that the insecurity affects diverse communities across the country.

Committee officials said the briefing will provide lawmakers with essential information on conditions facing religious minorities and guide potential legislative and diplomatic responses to the ongoing crisis.

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