US urged to re-designate Nigeria as country of particular concern over ongoing killings
Posted by Titinaija on April 22, 2025
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A coalition of advocacy organizations is urging the United States to re-designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), citing escalating violence, human rights abuses, and religious persecution across the country.
During a recent visit to Capitol Hill, the American Veterans of Igbo Descent (AVID), alongside Rising Sun and Ambassadors for Self Defense, met with US lawmakers to highlight the deteriorating security situation in Nigeria.
The delegation also called for the immediate and unconditional release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Nigeria was previously placed on the CPC list by former President Donald Trump over religious freedom violations but was later removed by the Biden administration.
Speaking after the meetings, AVID President Dr. Sylvester Onyia condemned the Nigerian government’s failure to protect vulnerable communities particularly Christians and ethnic minorities from attacks by militant herdsmen and criminal groups. He accused authorities of turning a blind eye to what he described as systemic violence.
Dr. Onyia recalled the 2017 killing of 27 unarmed pro-Biafra demonstrators in Port Harcourt by Nigerian security forces during a peaceful rally celebrating President Trump’s inauguration. He called for accountability and urged US authorities to re-examine the case.
The delegation also raised concerns over Kanu’s continued detention since his 2021 abduction in Kenya and subsequent rendition to Nigeria. Onyia maintained that Kanu “is not Nigeria’s problem but part of its solution.”
“We’ve told Presidents Buhari and Tinubu the same thing: Kanu must be released. He has committed no crime,” Onyia stated.
Rev. Fr. Augustine Odinmegwu, another delegate, criticized the British Government for its silence on the case, despite Kanu holding British citizenship. He accused the UK of complicity in his continued detention.
Odinmegwu warned that jihadist groups and armed herders are being enabled to terrorize indigenous populations and seize land, particularly in the South East. He warned that unchecked violence could lead to the region’s takeover and threaten Western interests, including access to crude oil.
He also referenced a recent comment by DSS Director General Adeola Ajayi, who urged citizens to defend themselves against bandits. Odinmegwu said the statement reflects the Nigerian state’s failure to fulfill its basic duty of protection.
“If a US Homeland Security chief told Americans to arm themselves, it would be seen as a national crisis,” he said.
Describing the killings as “genocidal,” Odinmegwu called for urgent U.S. intervention to prevent further bloodshed and displacement.
“This is not a farmer-herder conflict. It is an organized campaign of ethnic cleansing and religious extremism,” he asserted.
The delegation also urged South East governors to establish community-based security networks and remove unauthorized occupants from forests across the region.
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