The United States chapter of the All Progressives Congress has urged American lawmakers to deepen security cooperation with Nigeria rather than impose sanctions over concerns about religious freedom and rising violence.
The USA Chairman, Prof Tai Balofin, made the appeal on Thursday while addressing the US House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa on Nigeria’s redesignation as a “Country of Particular Concern.” His presentation was shared with our correspondent on Friday.
Addressing Chairman Chris Smith and members of Congress, Balofin acknowledged the suffering of Christian communities but urged the US to adopt a balanced view of Nigeria’s security crisis.
The APC chieftain argued that the current violence is driven more by criminal banditry and mass kidnappings than by religious motives.
“The dominant threat has shifted from Boko Haram’s religious war to criminal banditry, kidnappings, and resource conflicts, which indiscriminately target Muslims and Christians – with over 60 per cent of 2025 abductions in states like Zamfara, Katsina, and Kaduna occurring in Muslim villages,” he stated in his testimony.
Balofin outlined what he described as ongoing security gains under President Bola Tinubu, arguing that the efforts contributed to a 28 per cent drop in communal violence this year.
“The Tinubu administration’s unprecedented response, including tens of thousands of additional troops, U.S.-supplied Super Tucano aircraft missions, and operations like Operation Accord, has neutralised hundreds of bandit leaders and rescued thousands of hostages, resulting in a 28 per cent drop in communal violence fatalities this year,” he said.
The APC chief, therefore, urged Congress to support continued cooperation, proposing three measures: a joint US–Nigeria Religious Freedom and Security Working Group, renewed USAID-funded community resilience programmes, and a transparent Victims of Violence Trust Fund to support all affected Nigerians.
He said, “Partnership, rather than broad sanctions, is essential to sustain progress, as punitive measures could undermine security cooperation and bolster extremists. As Nigeria nears the 2027 elections, genuine suffering is being politicised by various actors.”
Balofin appealed to lawmakers to champion “the full truth,” not narratives shaped by “politics or partial reporting.”
“Chairman Smith, for decades, you have been a fearless champion for persecuted Christians worldwide, including in Nigeria. Toda,y I ask you to continue being a champion for the full truth and for the strong U.S.–Nigeria partnership that protects citizens of every faith.
“On behalf of President Tinubu and 220 million Nigerians who simply want peace, we thank you,” he concluded.
Balofin’s testimony came a day after US lawmakers heard from a survivor of the June 2025 Yelwata attack in Benue State.
Appearing virtually before the House Subcommittee on Africa, the survivor, Msurshima Apeh, recounted how she watched her five children being killed during the assault by suspected armed herdsmen.
She said, “When we went to sleep that night around 9 pm, the Fulani terrorists attacked us where we were sleeping. We were locked inside the camp, Yelwata, and they were butchering them with cutlasses and shooting guns.
“When the torture had finished at some point in time, they poured petrol on the building and the majority of them were set ablaze.”
Apeh said she escaped only after climbing a tree.
“My five children that I left below were crying, and in my presence, they were being slaughtered by the terrorists,” she told the panel.
She later fled into the bush and was rescued before being moved to another camp.
The Yelwata attack, which occurred in June, left dozens dead, including civilians and five security personnel. Homes and market stalls were torched, with several families completely wiped out.
