Naming of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern is an Important Step to Advance Religious Freedom

Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) welcomes President Trump’s making Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern (CPC). USCIRF has recommended Nigeria be so designated since 2009 because of the government’s engaging and tolerating systematic, ongoing, and egregious religious freedom violations. 

“USCIRF applauds President Trump for speaking out on the religious freedom crisis in Nigeria and making Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern,” said USCIRF Chair Vicky Hartzler. “The US Government can now develop a tough plan with Nigeria to ensure that perpetrators of violence are held to account, people of faith are protected, and those held hostage are rescued.”

During the first Trump Administration, the State Department designated Nigeria as a Special Watch List Country in 2019 and as a CPC country in 2020. Violent attacks against religious communities in Nigeria have become tragically commonplace. In June, gunmen killed at least 200 people, including internally displaced persons housed in a Benue State Catholic mission. In August, militants killed at least 27 in Katsina State during a mosque attack during early morning prayers. These and other violent incidents targeting religious communities are escalating tensions and threatening Nigerians’ ability to freely express their religion or belief.

“In addition to the tragic violence at the hands of nonstate actors, the United States must also hold the Nigerian government accountable for allowing the enforcement of blasphemy laws in 12 states,” said USCIRF Vice Chair Asif Mahmood. “Enforcing these laws and tolerating violence targeting Christians, Muslims, and other communities justify the CPC designation, now the administration can use this opportunity to impose Presidential Actions under the International Religious Freedom Act to incentivize needed change in the country.”

In May 2025, USCIRF held a hearing on Governance in Nigeria: A Foundation for Securing Freedom of Religion or Belief. In July 2025, USCIRF published a country update on religious freedom concerns in Nigeria.

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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze, and report on religious freedom abroad. USCIRF makes foreign policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion and belief. To interview a Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected].

Nonstate Actors’ Violence is Driving Religious Freedom Violations in Africa’s Sahel Region

Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released the following report: 

Freedom of Religion or Belief in the Sahelian Countries of Burkina Faso, Cameroon, and Chad – This report describes serious violations to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) conditions in three Sahelian countries: Burkina Faso, Cameroon, and Chad. These countries suffer some of the world’s highest death rates from nonstate actor violence, which often affects religious communities in ways that restrict FoRB. Insurgent groups that invoke religion to justify violence - such as the Islamic State in the Sahel Province (ISSP), Jama’at Ahl al-Sunna lid-Dawah wa’al-Jihad (JAS-Boko Haram) and Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM)—continue to perpetrate serious violations against virtually all religious communities in the region, and in recent years they have significantly increased their destructive activity. Additionally, governments have sometimes responded to insurgent group activity by targeting innocent Muslim communities with indiscriminate arrests and violence by security forces.

In November 2023, USCIRF released a factsheet on religious freedom conditions in three other countries in the Sahel region – Sudan, Mali, and Niger. That report touched on several factors restricting FoRB in multiple Sahelian countries, including violent extremist groups, the fragility of governments, the presence of the armed forces in politics, and ethno-religious clashes in isolated areas. The same month, USCIRF held a corresponding virtual conversation on religious freedom conditions in the Sahel Region of Africa. 

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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze and report on religious freedom abroad. USCIRF makes foreign policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State and Congress intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion or belief. To interview a Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected].

A Religious Freedom Lifeline to Burma’s Persecuted People of Faith Needs to be Extended

Washington, DC – As the Burmese military escalates its vicious war on its own people, its strategy of violence targeting religious gatherings and places of worship in Burma is creating destruction, displacement, and a reign of death. In the past twelve months alone, the Burmese military and pro-junta militia attacked a Muslim village in Sagaing Region, burning down 400 homes and two mosques, while in Chin State the army bombed three churches killing six civilians, including a pastor. More recent action has shown that even those from the majority religion are not safe. Dozens of people were killed and 50 injured when the junta bombed a Buddhist festival in northwestern Burma. Now, the safety and religious freedom of Burmese nationals in the United States is at risk as the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation is set to expire on November 25, 2025, potentially pushing them back into the hands of their persecutors.

“People of faith, especially religious minorities from Karen, Chin, and Kachin States, face egregious persecution if they are forced to return to Burma where rising violence is adding to the hundreds of Christians and Muslims that have been killed in attacks on houses of worship since 2024,” said Chair Vicky Hartzler. “USCIRF urges the Administration to extend and redesignate Burma for TPS to support the religious freedom of Burma’s religious minorities.”  

The junta’s rising military actions against its own people are part of an effort to force participation in upcoming “elections” meant to legitimize its dictatorial rule that has seen gross human rights violations, including a genocide against predominately Muslim Rohingya.

“USCIRF condemns the Burmese military’s continued assault on its people and on places of worship,” said Vice Chair Asif Mahmood. “Without a safe country to return to or well-established refugee programs to rely on, religious minorities from Burma will be persecuted. TPS can save the lives of Burma’s religious minorities – Christians and Muslims – and frustrate the plans of Burma’s junta persecutors.”

In its 2025 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended that the State Department designate Burma as a “Country of Particular Concern” for engaging in systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom. 

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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze, and report on religious freedom abroad. USCIRF makes foreign policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress, intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion and belief. To interview a Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected].