A group of Republican Senators has written to the United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, urging him to consider re-designating Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) under the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA), citing what they described as “continued unchecked acts of violence and terrorism against religious minorities” in the country.
The lawmakers allege that the Christians are being subjected to massive violence in Nigeria.
The letter was signed by Senators Ted Budd, Josh Hawley, Pete Ricketts, Ted Cruz, and James Lankford.
In their letter, the Senators stated: “We write to urge you to consider designating Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) pursuant to the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) to give the President additional authority to take specific actions to address the continued unchecked acts of violence and terrorism against religious minorities perpetrated by non-State actors in Nigeria.”
The lawmakers recalled: “As you know, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo designated Nigeria as a CPC in December 2020, for the ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom perpetrated within its borders, particularly by nonstate actors such as Boko Haram and other terrorist groups.”
They also noted: “While Secretary of State Antony Blinken removed Nigeria from the CPC list in 2021, on March 25, 2025, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) recommended that Nigeria be placed once again on the CPC list, citing several incidents of violence and terrorism against religious minorities.”
The Senators referenced several deadly incidents in Nigeria, including mass killings and kidnappings targeting Christians.
“In May 2024, al-Qaeda-affiliated Ansaru gunmen reportedly kidnapped 160 mainly Christian children and killed eight people in Niger State but later released the abducted children…..in Niger State, suspected bandits killed 10 farmers, including Christians, and in August, bandits reportedly killed 70 Christians and kidnapped 20 students in separate attacks in Benue State.”
They added: “Most recently, in late June 2025, reports suggest that at least 200 Christians in Nigeria were brutally killed by terrorists in Benue state.”
“This same report suggests that Nigeria is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be Christian, citing 3,100 of the 4,476 Christians killed during their reporting period lived in Nigeria.”
The Senators further referenced actions taken by former U.S. President Donald Trump to promote religious freedom, including an executive order establishing the Religious Liberty Commission.
“As you know, on May 1, 2025, President Trump issued an executive order to establish the Religious Liberty Commission with the intent for this commission to vigorously enforce the historic and robust protections for religious liberty enshrined in Federal law and to work with the White House Faith Office to partner with the Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom to further the cause of religious liberty around the world’.”
They also recalled Trump’s 2019 global appeal at the United Nations: “On September 23, 2019, President Trump issued a global call to condemn religious persecution and defend the freedom of all believers stating that:
‘Today with one clear voice, the United States of America calls upon the nations of the world to end religious persecution.’”
“To stop crimes against people of faith, release prisoners of conscience, repeal laws restricting freedom of religion and belief…America stands with believers in every country who ask only for the freedom to live according to the faith that is within their own hearts?.”
Concluding their letter, the Senators expressed gratitude for Trump’s role in advancing religious liberty and urged Secretary Rubio to act decisively.
“We are grateful for President Trump and your work to champion our founding freedoms at home, as well as to condemn religious persecution around the world. We hope you will carefully consider designating Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) pursuant to the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA). We look forward to hearing from you.”
Previously, SaharaReporters reported that United States expressed “deep concern” over persistent violence against Christians and other vulnerable groups in Nigeria, warning that the government in Abuja must take stronger action to protect its citizens from terrorist attacks.
This comes after American comedian Bill Maher drew attention to the rising number of Christians killed by extremist groups such as Boko Haram and ISIS-West Africa.
In a statement to Newsweek, the US State Department confirmed it has repeatedly raised the issue with the Nigerian government at the highest levels.
“The United States remains deeply concerned about the levels of violence against Christians and members of other groups in Nigeria, including the threats posed by terrorist groups like Boko Haram and ISIS-West Africa in northern Nigeria. We have raised these issues with the Nigerian government at the highest levels,” the statement said.
The Department stressed that Nigeria must act more decisively to halt repeated attacks on religious communities, insisting that its laws must align with commitments to religious freedom.
International advocacy group Open Doors ranks Nigeria as the seventh most dangerous place in the world for Christians, noting that “more Christians are killed for their faith in Nigeria than in the rest of the world combined.”
The Nigerian government has dismissed reports suggesting that terrorists in Nigeria are carrying out a systematic genocide against Christians, describing such claims as “false, baseless, despicable, and divisive.”
The new British Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, on Monday, unveiled a 10-year plan to tackle the country’s economic and social challenges as he began reshaping his government, with Chancellor Rachel Reeves among senior ministers leaving the Cabinet.
In his first speech outside 10 Downing Street, Burnham said his government would introduce measures to ease the cost-of-living crisis, end rough sleeping, build more council homes and devolve more powers away from Westminster.
“This moment will be a circuit breaker for Britain,” Burnham said, adding that details of the government’s cost-of-living package and how it would be funded would be announced from Tuesday.
According to the BBC, Reeves announced on X that she was stepping down as Chancellor of the Exchequer, describing it as “the privilege of my life” to have served in the role. The broadcaster reported that Burnham had offered her another senior cabinet position, but she declined.
The cabinet reshuffle also saw Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, Housing Secretary, Steve Reed and Business Secretary, Peter Kyle leave government as Burnham assembled his own team.
Speaking to reporters after his Downing Street address, Burnham said he would examine the tax-free personal allowance ahead of his first Budget in the autumn but acknowledged that raising the threshold would have significant fiscal implications.
He also pledged to reform England’s social care system, saying he did not want to leave office without fixing a problem that had persisted for decades, while reaffirming his commitment to existing fiscal rules.
The BBC also reported that Burnham held his first conversation with a foreign leader after taking office, speaking with U.S. President Donald Trump.
The resignation of the outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer saying he was leaving office “with good grace” and “a smile.”
Burnham is expected to continue announcing appointments to his new Cabinet as his administration takes shape, according to the BBC.
Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, has clarified the sharp increase in Nigeria’s public debt.
Speaking before the Senate Committee on Finance on the state of the nation’s economy on Monday, Oyedele attributed the increase to naira depreciation and accounting adjustments rather than fresh borrowing by the Bola Tinubu administration.
Oyedele was responding to questions from the senator representing Kebbi Central, Adamu Aliero, over claims that the current administration had borrowed about N80 trillion in addition to the N75 trillion public debt it inherited.
According to the minister, comparing the country’s debt stock at the start of the administration with the current figure without accounting for exchange rate movements created a misleading impression.
“When this administration came into office, public debt was around N75 trillion. Many people simply compare that figure with today’s debt stock and conclude that this government has borrowed massively.
“However, it is important to note that, following the reforms and the depreciation of the naira, the foreign currency component of our public debt had to be revalued because Nigeria reports its debt in Naira. That accounting adjustment alone added more than N40 trillion to the public debt figure,” he said.
He added that the securitisation of the Ways and Means advances inherited from the previous administration also contributed significantly to the increase in the debt stock.
The minister further said that much of the government’s domestic borrowing was used to refinance existing debt rather than accumulate new obligations.
According to him, the Tinubu administration had adopted a prudent borrowing strategy focused on infrastructure and long-term economic growth.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) on Saturday asked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to resign rather than seek re-election, asserting that the World Bank’s recent report showing that 139 million Nigerians live below the poverty line is his scorecard.
The ADC, in a statement by its spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the World Bank’s report, which also estimated that 17 million Nigerians are at risk of starvation, was “disturbing.”
“The evidence of 139 million people living in poverty and 17 million at risk of starvation is President Tinubu’s scorecard,” the party said. “On account of this catastrophic failure alone, President Tinubu should be contemplating resigning from office rather than seeking re-election.”
It decried that the “catastrophic” situation was occasioned by the Tinubu administration’s policies, which it said, “have favoured money over people and statistics over survival.”
The opposition party maintained that the economic growth Mr Tinubu’s government has repeatedly boasted of as a result of its economic reforms is “meaningless” if the livelihoods of people at the grassroots have yet to improve since 2023, when he assumed office.
“Instead of changing course, the government has stubbornly stuck with its ruinous economic policies and even continues to market recklessness as courage and wickedness as ‘necessary pains.’
“However, three years down the line, it is now clear that the chicken has come home to roost,” the ADC said.
According to the party, Nigeria desperately needs a leader who truly cares about citizens’ well-being and understands that economic reforms should improve citizens’ lives, not worsen their misery.
“A president whose government is not openly feasting while asking the people to continue fasting. A government that does not wallow in profligacy while handing the people palliatives,” it added.
The party condemned the ruling APC’s social intervention programmes aimed at cushioning the effects of its economic policies, adding, “Poverty cannot be defeated through palliatives.”
The ADC pledged that if elected in 2027, it would tackle the root causes of hunger by reducing energy costs, enhancing food production, and ensuring that farmers returned to their farmlands.
It also vowed to rehabilitate the 264 abandoned dams, improve access to fertilisers and quality seeds, and invest in storage facilities.
According to the party, transportation, waste, and food prices would be reduced while creating productive jobs.
“Hunger cannot be separated from poverty, education, or healthcare. That is why an ADC government will prioritise nutrition, primary healthcare, quality basic education, and skills development because no nation can build a prosperous economy while millions of its children are hungry, out of school, or cannot read simple texts,” the party said.
