The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Makurdi, Wilfred Anagbe, has called on the United States to follow through with enforceable measures after Nigeria’s renewed designation as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC).
Speaking before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Africa on Thursday, November 20, which is reviewing former President Donald Trump’s decision to redesignate Nigeria, Anagbe expressed gratitude to Trump and lawmakers for reinstating the classification but stressed that it must be accompanied by decisive action.
“On behalf of millions of Christians in Nigeria and the diaspora, we thank President Trump for his bold leadership in designating Nigeria as a CPC. I commend you and this subcommittee for your ongoing efforts,” Anagbe said.
He urged targeted sanctions under the Magnitsky Act against Nigerian officials who tolerate or condone violence, and called for U.S. security and humanitarian support to be tied to measurable improvements on the ground.
“Expand humanitarian support for internally displaced persons (IDPs). They must return to their ancestral homes with security guarantees from the Nigerian government,” he said. Anagbe also stressed the need to rebuild livelihoods and provide essential services such as education and sanitation.
He further advocated for the passage of the Nigerian Religious Freedom Accountability Act to ensure perpetrators are held responsible, stating, “Impunity fuels the violence we suffer.”
Anagbe recounted the trauma experienced by Christian communities in Benue, highlighting the case of a priest left unable to walk after surviving a terrorist attack. He accused the federal government of downplaying death tolls and neglecting survivors, arguing that while Trump’s earlier CPC designation aimed to stabilise Nigeria, it alone cannot resolve the crisis.
“The violence must be stopped. The CPC classification brought joy, hope, and spiritual resilience to targeted communities, but it requires political, military, and humanitarian interventions,” he said. “The blood of Nigerian Christians cries out to you. Use every tool of U.S. influence to demand change. Inaction only emboldens extremists.”
The subcommittee is expected to hear from senior U.S. State Department officials and Nigerian religious leaders as the controversy continues.
Tensions escalated after Trump reinstated Nigeria on the CPC list on October 31, 2025, citing systematic persecution of Christians. Trump confirmed that military options were being considered.
The Nigerian government has strongly rejected the claims. President Bola Tinubu stated, “Nigeria stands firmly as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty. The characterisation of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our reality.”
Even public figures weighed in, with American rapper Nicki Minaj saying during a U.N. event, “No group should ever be attacked because of its faith,” calling for unity.
Nigeria was first designated a CPC in 2020 under Trump, before President Joe Biden removed the label shortly after taking office.
