The United States House of Representatives has scheduled a congressional hearing to examine Nigeria's security strategies and ongoing efforts to safeguard Christian communities in the Middle Belt. Led by Republican lawmaker Chris Smith, the legislative session is slated to take place at 11:00 AM on Thursday, November 12, at the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, DC.
A public advisory released by Smith's office on Monday detailed that the proceedings, titled 'One Year Later: Assessing Nigeria’s Efforts to Protect Christians and Secure the Middle Belt', will scrutinize the security situation in the region. The discussions will evaluate religious violence attributed to extremist groups such as Boko Haram, assess the measures implemented by the Federal Government of Nigeria to curb persecution, and explore potential policy actions the United States can adopt to support accountability and security.
Who will testify before the committee?
Testimony during the session will be divided into two separate expert panels. The first panel features high-ranking diplomatic officials, including Frank Garcia, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, alongside Riley Barnes, Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labour.
The second panel will comprise civil society and research experts: Nina Shea, senior fellow and director of the Centre for Religious Freedom at the Hudson Institute; Ryan Brown, chief executive officer of Open Doors; and Oge Onubogu, director and senior fellow of the Africa Programme at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). The event is scheduled to be broadcast live via the internet.
What is the legislative history of these hearings?
This legislative session marks the 14th congressional hearing convened by Representative Smith focused exclusively on Nigerian affairs. Previous sessions include a November hearing following discussions surrounding the designation of Nigeria as a country of particular concern, as well as a May 2016 session that addressed American cooperation in helping Nigeria confront northern security threats.