One Year Later: Assessing Nigeria's Efforts to protect Christians and Secure the Middle Belt

The House Foreign Affairs Committee’s hearing on November 13, 2026, reviewed Nigeria’s response one year after its designation as a Country of Particular Concern for religious-freedom violations. State Department officials described the U.S.–Nigeria joint working group, diplomatic pressure, police training and equipment for vulnerable Middle Belt communities, expanded biometric information sharing, and Nigerian commitments on security deployments, prosecutions, humanitarian-spending transparency, and safe returns for internally displaced people. Officials said attacks continue and that progress must be measured by fewer attacks and credible accountability. The State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor also reported obligating $9 million for an early-warning and response program. Witnesses differed on how to characterize the violence, while emphasizing the need for civilian protection and effective institutions; the upcoming Nigerian elections were cited as an added risk.