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Alleged Christian Genocide: US Congress Sets Public Hearing

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The United States House of Representatives Subcommittee on Africa will hold a public hearing on Thursday, November 20, 2025, to scrutinise President Donald Trump’s decision to redesignate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) over alleged religious freedom violations.

The session, slated for 11 a.m. in Room 2172 of the Rayburn House Office Building and streamed live online, will be chaired by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), a long-time advocate on global religious liberty issues.

According to an invitation issued to members of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, the hearing will convene two panels. The first panel will feature senior officials from the US Department of State, including Jonathan Pratt, the Senior Bureau Official for African Affairs, and Jacob McGee, Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor.

A second panel will include prominent voices from religious and policy organisations, among them the Director of the Centre for Religious Freedom, Ms. Nina Shea; Bishop Wilfred Anagbe of the Makurdi Catholic Diocese; and Ms. Oge Onubogu of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

The review will assess the scale of religious persecution in Nigeria and explore possible US responses, ranging from targeted sanctions to humanitarian assistance and increased cooperation with Nigerian authorities.

Trump’s Hardline Position

President Trump reignited debate on October 31, 2025, when he returned Nigeria to the CPC list, a designation that paves the way for sweeping punitive measures against foreign officials implicated in religious repression. In a strongly worded statement the following day, he alleged that Christians in Nigeria were facing an “existential threat,” claiming thousands had been killed by Islamist extremists.

“If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the USA will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria,” Trump warned. “We may very well go into that country ‘guns-a-blazing’ to completely wipe out the terrorists committing these atrocities.”

He also directed the US “Department of War” to prepare for possible intervention, saying any strike would be “fast, vicious, and sweet.”

 

Tinubu Rejects US Claims

President Bola Tinubu pushed back sharply, rejecting Trump’s portrayal of Nigeria as a country hostile to religious freedom.

In a statement issued on his X handle, Tinubu said the characterisation “does not reflect our national reality,” insisting that Nigeria remains committed to constitutional protections of religious liberty.

“Religious freedom and tolerance have been a core tenet of our collective identity,” he said, stressing that the administration opposes any form of persecution.

 

Background to the Rising Tensions

Nigeria’s CPC designation has reignited global focus on years of violent attacks against Christian communities, including killings by extremist groups, mass kidnappings, and the destruction of churches in northern and central states.

Senator Ted Cruz has sponsored a companion bill in the US Senate to solidify the designation.

Bishop Anagbe, one of the upcoming witnesses, has been outspoken about insecurity in his diocese. Addressing UK parliamentarians in March 2025, he detailed sustained attacks on Christian communities in Benue State, describing how displaced families had fled to IDP camps after their villages were overrun by Islamist militants and armed herders.

 

Republican Lawmakers Intensify Pressure

In a recent interview on Fox News, Rep. Riley Moore (R-WV) disclosed that congressional committees had already begun reviewing the situation in Nigeria, working closely with the State Department and the White House.

 

“What is going on there is horrific, these killings of brothers and sisters in Christ,” Moore said, echoing Trump’s stance.

Responding to Tinubu’s dismissal of the allegations, Moore countered that religious persecution in Nigeria is “a serious and ongoing reality,” citing blasphemy laws and cases of individuals facing the death penalty.

He also claimed that Christians in Nigeria are being killed at a ratio of “five to one” compared to Muslims, based on information gathered from congressional investigations.

Moore insisted that the US has a responsibility to intervene where necessary: “We are a Christian nation and we stand up for the persecuted. The CPC designation unlocks different tools, sanctions, withholding development funds, restricting financing. And yes, military options remain on the table.”

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Pastor Chris Reportedly Fills Up Fifteen Stadiums in One Night at the Night of Bliss

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Pastor Chris Oyakhilome’s Night of Bliss on November 21, 2025 has quickly become one of the most talked-about Christian events in Nigeria. The programme was held simultaneously across the country, originally promoted as a ten-stadium event, but several reports and social media posts now claim the gatherings took place in fifteen stadiums nationwide.

Videos, photos and livestreams show massive turnouts across multiple cities, including Benin City, Port Harcourt, Lokoja, Asaba, Jalingo, Eket and others. Reports say all the stadiums involved were filled, though independent verification of exact attendance figures remains limited. What is clear from public footage is that each location recorded huge numbers of worshippers who gathered through the night for prayer, teaching and praise.

Even without confirmed capacity counts, coordinating ten to fifteen major gatherings across different states at the same time is a remarkable accomplishment. The atmosphere in each venue appeared vibrant and unified, with many participants describing the night as spiritually impactful.

For many believers, the Night of Bliss stands out as a moment of nationwide connection, sweeping attendance and extraordinary scale.

Have you ever witnessed anything like this?

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Every member of this church should be awake one hour every night — Bishop Oyedepo reveals how to battle alleged gen0cide of Christians in Nigerians

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Presiding Bishop of Living Faith Church Worldwide, David Oyedepo, has warned Christians over the escalating insecurity in Nigeria, following a spate of recent @ttacks on churches that resulted in multiple d3aths and abductions, saying Christians must take decisive action.

The bishop’s warning comes as international concern mounts, with Italy becoming the second G7 nation, after the United States, to openly demand an immediate end to the targeted k!llings of Christians in Nigeria.

Speaking at a Pre-Shiloh Encounter Church Service, Bishop Oyedepo expressed deep concern over the nation’s current situation.

“Developments in the past two weeks, particularly in Nigeria, are worrisome to say the least. There is need for a prompt response in prayers to stop the k!llings once and for all. You can’t trade people’s lives for your comfort.”

“All the innocent bloo.d shared is speaking vengeance… all the perpetrators will pay with their lives.”

The cleric urged church members to launch into “midnight raid (prayers)”.

“Every member of this church should be awake one hour every day for one week before v!olence descends to an@rchy in Nigeria…”

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DRb2LF9DNnh/?igsh=eGY2aWxvbzM5eDc=

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‘Children Were Crying’ – St Mary’s Principal Recounts Midnight Raid As More Details Emerge

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More details have surfaced regarding the abduction of students and staff of St Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri, Agwara LGA of Niger State, with the school principal, Rev. Sr. Felicia Gyang, giving a chilling account of how the attackers stormed the premises.

In a video clip dated November 21 and obtained by Sunday Punch, Gyang narrated how the terrorists forced their way into the school in the early hours of the morning while terrified children screamed for help.

According to her, the armed men arrived shortly after midnight, using motorcycles and vehicles to break through successive gates.

“The unfortunate incident happened past 12 when we heard noise, motorbikes, and the sound of cars. Before we knew it, there were serious bangs on different gates in the compound,” she recounted.

She said the sisters quickly gathered to observe the commotion.

She stated, “We got up, and I called my other sisters for us to peep out. When we peeped, we heard noise and children were crying.”

Gyang explained that in the confusion, locating keys to some gates became difficult, leaving her no choice but to exit through an alternative route to assess the situation.

“Apparently, when we were there trying to see what would happen with those that were out of danger at that moment, we could hear the sound of the other bus,” she said, referring to the vehicle used by the attackers.

She added that distress calls echoed from various parts of the compound as the bandits advanced.

The principal revealed that multiple attempts to reach security personnel during the attack were unsuccessful.

She added, “At the end, we heard the security man at the main gate rowing. We couldn’t hear what he was saying, but after some time, we heard them driving off on bikes.

“One of us was making calls to see who we could call for help. We tried to call places around where we could get help. We tried the Divisional Police Officer, too, but we couldn’t get through.”

Asked whether the school had received any prior alerts from security agencies, Gyang dismissed the claims.

“No, we didn’t receive,” she said.

She also denied suggestions that the school had earlier been advised to shut down over security concerns.

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