U.S. Groups Petition Blinken to Designate Nigeria as Country of Particular Concern (CPC) over Christian Killings

U.S. Groups Petition Blinken to Designate Nigeria as Country of Particular Concern (CPC) over Christian Killings.

Twenty-four U.S. organizations, including prominent human rights and religious groups such as Advancing American Freedom, Alliance Defending Freedom, and the Hudson Institute, have collectively urged U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken to designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC).

The appeal is rooted in the ongoing violence resulting in the mass killings of Christians in the country.

The organizations, alongside notable figures like former Ambassador Sam Brownback and former defense and national security officials, voiced their concerns over the recent attacks on Plateau communities during the Christmas season, where over 150 individuals lost their lives.

Expressing their dismay, the groups stated, “Less than two weeks ago, almost 200 Nigerian Christians became martyrs while celebrating Christmas. According to one account, these Christians were ‘killed for sport.’ Just weeks earlier, the Christian Association of Nigeria received a letter threatening them against celebrating Christmas.”

The international religious freedom community emphasized their outrage at the perceived inaction and urged the United States to address these “acts of evil.” They underlined the role of the U.S. as a symbol of hope and freedom globally and emphasized that silence in the face of such atrocities does not go unnoticed.

The call for CPC designation follows recent claims by the Catholic-inspired think tank group, Intersociety, which alleged that Islamic militants brutally murdered at least 52,250 Christians over the last 14 years. The group accused the Nigerian government at various levels of complicity in these killings and warned of the nation being on the brink of a “religious war.”

Despite announcing plans to designate countries like Iran and Russia as CPC on January 4, Secretary Blinken did not include Nigeria in the list. Nigeria, recognized for its religious crises and violence, had previously been designated as a CPC in December 2020 under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

The CPC designation holds potential economic ramifications for Nigeria, including the denial of credit loans under OPIC and restrictions on exports and procurement of goods and services by the U.S. government. The call to action seeks to address the escalating violence and human rights abuses, particularly against religious communities in Nigeria.