US official defends Nigeria’s CPC status, citing blasphemy killings
Jacob McGee, Deputy Assistant Secretary at the US Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labour, has robustly defended the designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) under the administration of President Donald Trump.
McGee delivered his defense on Thursday during a public hearing of the US Congress, offering detailed evidence of severe religious freedom violations and government impunity.
McGee’s testimony centered on the Nigerian government’s perceived failure to protect vulnerable Christian communities and its continued enforcement of harsh blasphemy laws. He affirmed that the United States remains committed to making religious freedom a core tenet of its foreign policy agenda, necessitating the call-out of violators like Nigeria.
The troubling pattern of blasphemy-related violence
To substantiate the CPC designation, McGee cited the notorious 2022 killing of Deborah Samuel Yakubu, a student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, who was lynched by a mob after being accused of blasphemy.
McGee underscored the failure of the Nigerian state to deliver justice in this high-profile case. “Her murderers remain free,” McGee stated, describing the impunity surrounding this event as part of a horrifying and troubling pattern. He noted that official US reports consistently document wide-ranging abuses, including torture, disappearances, and extrajudicial killings linked to blasphemy accusations across Nigeria.
The official stressed that the US “stands ready to champion the rights of Christians” and protect them from religious persecution, noting that the annual International Religious Freedom (IRF) reports consistently document severe violations in Nigeria.
Targeted violence in the Middle Belt
McGee noted that the levels of violence and atrocities committed against Christians, particularly in the Middle Belt region, have become alarming and appalling. He insisted that the violence is not random, but directly targets Christian communities.
Ample testimonies confirm that attackers “used religious language” during their assaults and “specifically targeted Christians for killing, abduction and rape.” This evidence, he argued, makes it clear that Nigerians are being attacked and killed explicitly because of their faith, demanding that the Nigerian government uphold its fundamental duty to protect them.
Failure to protect religious leaders and freedom of speech
The US official also leveled a direct accusation at the Nigerian government for its failure to protect religious leaders who bravely speak out against the violence.
McGee referenced the experience of Bishop Wilfred Anagbe and Father Remigius, who testified before US lawmakers last March about the religious freedom situation. Instead of receiving state protection after their high-profile testimony, these courageous leaders reported receiving threats from the Nigerian government. McGee emphasized that the United States listened to their plight and will continue to listen and act.
Furthermore, McGee condemned Nigeria’s continued enforcement of blasphemy laws, enforced under Sharia penal codes in 12 states. He argued that these laws stand in clear violation of Nigeria’s obligation to safeguard free speech. He noted that Nigeria is one of only eight countries in the world where blasphemy can carry the death penalty, placing it alongside nations like Iran and Pakistan, which have been long-standing CPC designees.
US commitment to continued monitoring and action
McGee warned that the US would continue to rigorously monitor the religious freedom situation in Nigeria and “act until the Nigerian government protects vulnerable Christians and holds perpetrators accountable.”
He affirmed: “The United States stands with civil society and religious actors brave enough to speak about the tragic violence and discrimination they face in Nigeria… we will continue to listen and act until the Nigerian government protects religious freedom, strengthens its protections for vulnerable Christians and upholds and holds perpetrators accountable.”
The statement reinforces that the CPC designation is a mandated reflection of the importance the US places on America’s first freedom, signaling that diplomatic pressure will be maintained until measurable improvements are demonstrated in Nigeria’s protection of religious minorities and fundamental human rights.
