GOP lawmakers ask Blinken to add Nigeria back on Particular Concern list

Republican Senators are asking Secretary of State Antony Blinken to add Nigeria back on the Religious Freedom list (Countries of Particular Concern list) after militants in the country buffed up attacks on worshippers.

The seven GOP lawmakers – Senator Josh Hawley, Senator James Lankford, Senator Kevin Cramer, Senator Mike Braun, Senator James M. Inhofe, Senator Tom Cotton, Senator Marco Rubio – Sent a letter to Secretary Blinken, urging him to add Nigeria back on the watchlist. The State Department had removed Nigeria from the list ahead of Blinken’s visit to the country.

On November 17, the Department of State released its annual list of countries which merit designation as Countries of Particular Concern under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. These countries represent the worst violators of religious freedom in the world and count China, Iran, and North Korea among their ranks. Today, we write to express our deep concern that Nigeria has been omitted altogether from this year’s list.

The letter sent by GOP Senators read.

Nigeria is suffering from reinforced attacks on its religious minorities from terrorist groups like Boko Haram. Apart from the attacks, the country is actively using “blasphemy laws” to target religious minorities.

Religious people in Nigeria face severe persecution at the hands of radical terrorist groups and even their own government. In fact, more Christians are murdered for their faith in Nigeria than in any other country. Violent attacks against religious congregations perpetrated by Boko Haram, Islamic State-West Africa, and others target Christians and Muslims alike. Not only has the government of Nigeria failed to take meaningful steps to mitigate such violence, but Nigerian authorities restrict and crack down on religious minorities and detain individuals indefinitely on blasphemy-related charges. Despite its constitution protecting freedom of religion and belief, Nigeria’s record on religious freedom is, in a word, abysmal.

It added.

The Trump Administration had put Nigeria on the CPC List last year – It was recommended by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom since as back as 2009 – The Biden Administration released an updated list in November that had Nigeria removed ahead of Blinken’s visit.

The Senators found it “alarming” that Nigeria was removed from the list this year without any explanation.

Yet this year, without explanation, the Department of State has removed Nigeria completely from its lists of severe religious freedom violators. We find this development alarming given Nigeria’s appalling record. While much of the violence in Nigeria overlaps with ethnic conflicts, hostility between ethnic groups is not solely to blame. Religious intolerance and persecution is a primary factor, and it is important that the State Department acknowledge that.

The Letter went on.

They questioned the State Department’s decision to remove Nigeria from the list when there was no evidence supporting any claims of violent persecution against religious minorities to have reduced.

It is clear to us that religious freedom conditions in Nigeria have not seen consummate improvement to warrant this abrupt change in designation after such a brief period.

It said.

In the end the Senators urged the Department of State to redesignate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern, until it doesn’t improve its religious freedom record.

Therefore, we urge the Department to immediately reconsider its decision and redesignate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern.

The letter concluded.

The Senators are now hopeful that the State Department will get back to them within two weeks.