United States Congressman Bill Huizinga has expressed deep concern over what he described as the Nigerian government’s lack of seriousness in addressing ongoing attacks on Christian communities across the country.
In an exclusive interview with Arise Television, Huizinga criticised Abuja’s response, describing it as dismissive of the crisis. He noted that the pattern of violence against Christians suggests coordinated and targeted assaults.
“The US must act swiftly to prevent another large-scale atrocity in Africa,” Huizinga said, drawing comparisons to past global failures in Rwanda and South Sudan.
He said he had personally spoken with survivors and religious leaders who feel repeatedly targeted in attacks on their homes and communities.
The lawmaker urged the Nigerian government to take stronger measures to protect its citizens and outline concrete steps to curb the growing wave of violence.
Highlighting Nigeria’s strategic importance to the stability and economic future of West Africa, Huizinga stressed the need for decisive action.
He said, “I’m glad that we’re able to do this. This is something that’s been very, very important, and as I’ve been saying to some of my colleagues, we were too late on Rwanda.
“We were too late on South Sudan and a number of other atrocities that have happened in Africa and other places around the world. So let’s not be too late again on this one.
“What I’m concerned about in particular is, you look at the Fulani and the radicalized Islamists, how they are attacking both moderate Muslims as well as the Christians. And I think it’s hard to deny, when you see 200 Christians slaughtered on Christmas Eve a few years ago.
“Clearly it was a coordinated attack. And I’ve talked to people that were in the village. I’ve talked to religious leaders who have been experiencing this for years. They feel targeted.
“They know that when their homes are being entered or they’re being attacked in the middle of the night, this is not just some sort of oh, people are in conflict. They feel very much targeted. Because of that, the US response has been swift.
“So I want to get serious about it, because, again, I’m not convinced that the Nigerian government has taken the situation seriously. They need to demonstrate what they are doing to protect not just Christians, but certainly Christians, and what they are doing and proposing to lower that violence threshold.
“And you know, earlier you’re asking, have I been satisfied with the response? No, because I think their response has been ‘no, there’s really not a problem.’
“Well, I think there is a problem, and I’d like for them to demonstrate either very clearly why they think there is no problem, which, again, as I had said in the meeting with the Foreign Minister, that I don’t think that was adequately addressed at all, and more satisfactorily, what is their plan to deal with the violence in Nigeria, and both against Christians.
“But I think in general, much of the other, the many of the other situations that are violent, you know, and we talked earlier a little bit about the importance of Nigeria in not just West Africa, but the whole African continent, and the economic success and potential that is there they have.”
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