The United States chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has requested to testify today (Thursday) before the United States 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 religious persecution.
In a letter forwarded to the Subcommittee Chairman, Chris Smith, the APC USA said it was prepared to lead a high-level delegation to provide what it described as firsthand intelligence and verifiable data on Nigeria’s security landscape.
The APC USA Chairman, Prof Tai Balofin, disclosed this in a statement available to journalists in Abuja.
Balofin said that while the party supports religious freedom for all Nigerians, global discourse on the matter often fails to reflect the full complexity of the nation’s insecurity challenges.
He said the delegation was ready to appear before Congress at short notice.
“The narrative that is sometimes presented abroad risks oversimplifying a complex security crisis driven by banditry, resource conflicts, climate stress, and transnational crime, not solely by religious persecution. We owe it to the American people and to millions of Nigerians to ensure Congress hears the complete picture before conclusions are drawn.”
Balofin said the group’s planned testimony would highlight what it considers notable security gains under President Bola Tinubu.
He added, “These include progress in degrading terrorist networks, improvements in community-based early-warning systems, and initiatives that promote interfaith harmony. 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 stronger U.S.–Nigeria cooperation on security, intelligence sharing and humanitarian support.
He said, “Chairman Chris Smith has been a consistent champion for human rights and religious liberty worldwide. We respectfully ask him to grant APC USA—the official voice of Nigeria’s democratically elected government in the United States—the opportunity to contribute to a fair, accurate, and solution-oriented discussion.”
The PUNCH
