Members of Nigeria’s House of Representatives have formally rejected proposed US moves to designate Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) in relation to violations of religious freedom. The stand was taken by the Nigeria-US Parliamentary Friendship Group during a diplomatic mission to the United States.
Lens News gathered that, the group, led by Hon. Jesse Okey-Joe Onuakalusi, engaged with American lawmakers, including Congressman Christopher Smith, to caution against the CPC tag. They argued that many of Nigeria’s security challenges stem from criminal violence, proliferation of small arms, and insurgency not from systemic religious persecution.
According to the delegation, labeling Nigeria as a CPC could impair access to foreign technologies and collaboration necessary for counter-terrorism and security operations. Hon. Onuakalusi warned that such designation may undermine Nigeria’s efforts at national security and could have unintended diplomatic consequences.
The pushback came amid reports from US lawmakers and religious freedom watchdogs calling for Nigeria’s inclusion on the CPC list. These calls are based on incidents of violence targeting religious communities. In response, Nigeria’s Parliamentary group emphasized that the country is multi-religious and the government is making efforts to address insecurity more broadly.
There is also strategic positioning involved. The Friendship Group used the opportunity to highlight Nigeria’s aspirations to secure a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council, arguing that designation as a CPC might hinder global perceptions and partnerships.
The Nigerian delegation urged US decision-makers to weigh context, verify claims, and distinguish between criminal/insurgent violence and religious discrimination before imposing the CPC label. They argued for stronger legislative and diplomatic engagement in place of blanket designations.
