US Congressman Bill Huizenga delivered an emotional address on Thursday, accusing President Bola Tinubu’s administration of failing to confront the wave of killings spreading across Nigeria.

Huizenga spoke at a hearing of the US House Subcommittee on Africa, which met to review Nigeria’s redesignation as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC). 

The congressman said he was troubled by how violence continues to escalate while the Nigerian government “sits back” without taking decisive action.

According to him, Nigeria’s delegation had gone to Washington attempting to water down the severity of the crisis—an approach he described as unacceptable.

“It is heartbreaking that Christians, moderate Muslims, and other innocent people are being terrorised by radicalised Islamist groups, yet the Tinubu government is not doing enough,” he said. “When I was asked on Nigerian television if the government was doing enough, I had to be honest, no, they are not.”

Huizenga questioned why officials would travel to the US only to make excuses instead of acknowledging the realities on ground. He insisted that the situation must be called out plainly, not defended.

The congressman also drew from personal experiences, recalling classmates of Nigerian origin and friends who worked as missionaries in the country. He noted that many Nigerians in the diaspora are aware of the crisis, even when it is minimised in public discussions.

Referencing the Christmas Eve 2023 attack that left 200 people dead, Huizenga argued that recent events prove that security in Nigeria has not improved. He further asked whether there were similar cases of Christians launching attacks on Muslims, compared to recurring assaults by radical Islamist groups.

The session is expected to also feature testimonies from top US State Department officials and Nigerian religious leaders.

Thursday’s hearing follows the October 31, 2025 decision by former US President Donald Trump to reinstate Nigeria on the CPC list due to persistent concerns over religious persecution and insecurity.