US Congress Convenes Emergency Session on Rising Attacks in Nigeria

The United States Congress has convened an emergency session to address escalating violence in Nigeria, following widespread reports of attacks, displacement, and rising concern over religious- and ethnic-based violence.

What sparked the session

The session comes amid renewed scrutiny over violence affecting communities in Nigeria’s Middle-Belt and northern zones. The hearing reportedly focuses on alleged targeted killings, kidnappings, and attacks on religious communities — originally flagged by the US designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) due to “religious freedom violations.”
Members of Congress — including those on the United States House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa — expressed deep concern over what they described as a “Christian genocide,” bringing testimonies and evidence of community-level attacks to the emergency briefing.

Nigeria’s situation & domestic reaction

On the Nigerian side, the security crisis has provoked alarm among lawmakers. The House of Representatives (Nigeria) recently concluded a three-day special plenary devoted to national security, acknowledging systemic failures and calling for urgent reforms.
Meanwhile, the federal government and its security leadership maintain that violence is not being directed solely against one religious group; authorities argue the attacks stem from a broader mix of insurgency, banditry and communal conflict, affecting both Christians and Muslims.
As a result of diplomatic exchanges between Nigeria and the U.S., a joint working group — United States–Nigeria Joint Working Group (UNJWG) is being established to coordinate counter-terrorism efforts, intelligence sharing and humanitarian support.

Why the situation is being framed as a crisis

Supporters of the congressional approach warn that the continuing attacks reportedly by militant and herder groups amount to more than isolated incidents. They argue that the pattern of violence, displacement, and what they describe as religious targeting must be met with strong international attention, humanitarian intervention, and coordinated security response.

At the same time, critics including some in Nigeria caution against oversimplification. They say labeling the violence as genocide or religious persecution risks inflaming ethnic or religious tensions, entrenching divisions, and overshadowing the complex socio-economic and governance failures that have allowed insecurity to spread.