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…says it’s mission impossible

A global coalition of advocates for religious liberty has advised Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, to stop plans by the National Assembly to dispatch a delegation to the United States in response to mounting concerns over alleged christian genocide in Nigeria.

In an open letter, the Global Coalition for Freedom of Religion in Nigeria (GCFRN) led by Miami Iliya Sabka,
warned that the planned trip could expose the country to “ridicule,” especially as the U.S. government has already designated Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) over what it describes as severe violations of religious freedom.

The letter, addressed separately to both presiding officers of the National Assembly and signed by clerics, rights advocates, experts and stakeholders, expressed deep concern that lawmakers were preparing to refute claims already documented by the U.S. Congress, USCIRF, and parliamentary bodies in the United Kingdom and Canada.

According to the coalition, the National Assembly’s move to counter these findings amounts to “attempting to deny what is already undeniable,” insisting that the U.S. Congress and other international actors are in possession of extensive reports, data and testimonies which Nigerian officials may find difficult to disprove.

“The delegation would open itself to ridicule because they would be confronted with documented facts and data which they will not be able to refute,” the coalition warned.

“The result may simply be proof to the USA and the international community that the Nigerian government, at best, is too weak to confront the situation in Nigeria and, or is even complicit.”

GCFRN said the appropriate response from the National Assembly should not be an overseas public relations mission but an urgent domestic inquest into the disturbing patterns of violence, discriminatory laws and documented cases of targeted attacks on Christians and other religious minorities across the country.

The coalition urged the NASS leadership to take decisive legislative action to address the concerns that triggered the CPC designation, cautioning that failure to act now may force foreign governments to impose measures that could have long-term diplomatic and economic implications for Nigeria.

The coalition reminded Akpabio and Abbas that the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), in its 2025 report, once again recommended Nigeria’s designation as a Country of Particular Concern — a recommendation that has surfaced repeatedly for nearly two decades.

The group noted that U.S. legislators, including Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, had already introduced bills to give legal effect to the Commission’s recommendations, highlighting the seriousness with which Washington views the situation.

GCFRN drew attention to portions of the USCIRF report that itemised several troubling trends in Nigeria, including:

Use of blasphemy laws and Sharia-based criminal codes in several northern states and even parts of the FCT, which, according to the report, have sometimes been applied to non-Muslims — including Christians and humanists.

Closure of schools, including Christian-affiliated institutions, during Ramadan in states like Kano, Katsina, Kebbi and Bauchi.

Worsening ethnoreligious tensions, with documented cases of abductions, killings and targeted violence against pastors and Christian leaders.

The coalition stressed that these issues have been repeatedly flagged by international observers and cannot be dismissed as mere perception or misinformation.

While acknowledging the authority of the National Assembly to defend Nigeria’s sovereignty, GCFRN urged its leaders to first acknowledge and address the underlying problems before engaging foreign partners.

Their appeal, they said, is driven by a desire to prevent Nigeria from sleepwalking into deeper international isolation over avoidable domestic failings.

The National Assembly has not yet issued an official response to the coalition’s letter. However, legislative aides privately confirmed that discussions about the composition and timing of the U.S. delegation are already underway.

As global scrutiny intensifies, attention now turns to how the federal legislature will navigate the delicate balance between defending Nigeria’s image and confronting long-standing religious and security challenges that continue to attract global concern.

End