TDA coalition of faith-based and human-rights organizations in the United States has called for urgent international intervention over what it describes as escalating violence against Christians in Nigeria, following a meeting with the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.
The group, operating under the banner “End the Genocide of Nigerian Christians Coalition,” said it met with officials of the independent U.S. government advisory body to affirm its recommendation that Nigeria be redesignated a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for religious-freedom violations in 2026.
The CPC designation is made by the U.S. government under the International Religious Freedom Act and is reserved for countries where authorities are accused of engaging in or tolerating severe violations of religious freedom.
Coalition Backs CPC Redesignation
According to the coalition, the recommendation in the USCIRF’s latest report reflects more than a decade of documentation by advocacy groups monitoring attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria.
“For more than fifteen years USCIRF has recommended Nigeria’s designation,” the coalition said in a statement released after the meeting.
“Its findings reflect the grim reality we have consistently documented firsthand,” the statement added.
The organizations said recent events in Nigeria further underline their concerns, citing reports of a large-scale attack in Ngoshe, a community in Borno State, where local sources claimed hundreds of residents were killed or abducted last week.
The coalition described the incident as a “massacre,” warning that the crisis of abductions and targeted killings in northern Nigeria continues to escalate.
Concerns Over Kidnappings and Killings
In the statement presented to the commission, the coalition said the USCIRF report highlighted a surge in kidnappings and violent attacks affecting vulnerable communities.
“The recent Ngoshe massacre, where over 300 people were reportedly killed and abducted in Borno State, is a stark reminder that the crisis is escalating and must be robustly addressed by the Nigerian government and its partners,” the coalition stated.
The groups also said many of the victims were individuals who had recently returned to their homes after spending years in refugee camps across the border in Cameroon.
According to emerging reports from local sources cited by the coalition, survivors have again fled into nearby mountains as families seek refuge without shelter, food, or medical assistance.
Impact of Aid Cuts
Another issue raised during the meeting was the impact of funding cuts affecting humanitarian and conflict-prevention programs in Nigeria.
The coalition noted that the USCIRF report expressed concern about reductions in U.S. support for projects previously implemented by organizations such as the United States Agency for International Development.
Those programs included early-warning systems in Nigeria’s Middle Belt region and initiatives designed to promote interfaith dialogue.
While acknowledging the potential value of such programs, the coalition argued that they had not significantly improved the security situation in affected communities.
The group said future funding should focus on “practical and demonstrably helpful projects” aimed directly at assisting victims and rebuilding devastated communities.
Lobbying and Policy Recommendations
The coalition also endorsed a recommendation in the USCIRF report suggesting that governments designated as CPC countries should be restricted from hiring lobbyists in the United States.
According to the advocacy groups, countries facing religious-freedom sanctions should focus on improving conditions at home rather than investing in lobbying efforts abroad.
They specifically referenced reports that Nigeria has spent millions of dollars on lobbying contracts in Washington.
Refugee Crisis Highlighted
Another major concern raised at the meeting was the growing humanitarian situation affecting Nigerian refugees in neighboring Cameroon.
The coalition said more than 120,000 displaced people from Gwoza are currently living in refugee camps in northern Cameroon.
Funding shortages affecting the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees have reportedly forced some refugees to return to communities they consider unsafe.
The groups warned that some of these returnees may have been among those affected in the reported attack on Ngoshe.
They also claimed that refugee resettlement processes involving the United States and some European countries had stalled.
Call for Immediate International Action
Following the meeting, the coalition called on international agencies and governments to take urgent measures to protect vulnerable communities in northern Nigeria.
Among the actions requested were:
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Immediate suspension of refugee returns to Nigeria until security conditions improve.
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Coordinated humanitarian evacuation and protection efforts led by UN agencies and international partners.
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Emergency relief assistance for displaced survivors including shelter, food, and medical support.
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Expanded international security cooperation to strengthen Nigeria’s counter-terrorism operations.
The coalition also urged faster resettlement of Nigerian refugees currently stranded in Cameroon.
Additional Evidence Submitted
During the meeting, coalition representatives pledged to provide the commission with verified casualty data collected by member organizations as well as assessments of previous U.S.-funded programs they believe should be redesigned.
Among the organizations represented in the coalition are Save the Persecuted Christians U.S.A., Christian Association of Nigerian Americans, and the U.S.-Nigeria Law Group.
International human-rights lawyer Emmanuel Ogebe, a longtime advocate for religious-freedom issues in Nigeria, was also present during the discussions in Washington alongside a USCIRF commissioner during the release of the report.
Ongoing Debate
Nigeria has faced repeated calls from advocacy groups to be designated a Country of Particular Concern over religious-freedom concerns.
However, the designation has remained a subject of debate within U.S. foreign-policy circles.
The Nigerian government has previously rejected allegations of religious persecution.
It maintained that violence in the country is driven primarily by criminality, terrorism, and communal conflict rather than targeted religious campaigns.
Despite the differing interpretations, advocacy groups insist that the scale of attacks and displacement demands urgent international attention.
For the coalition, the meeting with USCIRF represents a step toward pushing the issue further onto the international policy agenda as discussions about religious freedom and humanitarian protection continue.
