The United States chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has formally requested to testify before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Africa as American lawmakers prepare to review former President Donald Trump’s redesignation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” over alleged Christian genocide.
Gossip News Now reports that the Subcommittee will hold the hearing on Thursday, November 20, 2025, to examine Trump’s recent action.
APC USA Chairman Tai Balofin said the party sent a letter to Subcommittee Chairman Chris Smith requesting participation in the proceedings. He noted that the APC is prepared to lead a high-level delegation to provide firsthand intelligence and verifiable data on Nigeria’s security landscape.
In a statement released in Abuja, Balofin argued that international discussions on the matter often oversimplify the country’s complex security challenges.
“The narrative sometimes presented abroad risks oversimplifying a multifaceted security crisis driven by banditry, resource conflicts, climate stress, and transnational crime—not solely religious persecution,” he said. “We owe it to the American people and millions of Nigerians to ensure Congress hears the full picture before conclusions are drawn.”
Balofin said the delegation’s testimony would also highlight what it considers significant security gains under President Bola Tinubu, including progress against terrorist networks, the development of community-based early-warning systems, and initiatives promoting interfaith harmony. He added that recent reductions in attacks across several hotspots have been documented by both Nigerian authorities and independent international monitors.
The APC USA also plans to present proposals for enhanced U.S.–Nigeria cooperation in security, intelligence sharing, and humanitarian support, stressing that such collaboration is essential to protecting all religious groups while maintaining strong diplomatic relations.
“Chairman Chris Smith has been a consistent advocate for human rights and religious freedom worldwide. We respectfully request that he allow APC USA, as the official representative of Nigeria’s democratically elected government in the United States, to contribute to a fair, accurate, and solution-oriented discussion,” Balofin said.
The development comes just hours after Nigeria criticised the United States for excluding it from a United Nations event hosted by American rapper Nicki Minaj, which addressed alleged killings of Nigerians from a particular faith group.
