According to ThisDay, members of a bipartisan U.S. Congressional delegation said this in Abuja during a press conference after meetings with Nigerian government officials, religious leaders, civil society groups, and private sector stakeholders.
The United States has firmly ruled out deploying troops to Nigeria despite mounting insecurity and renewed international scrutiny over religious freedom, insisting that Washington’s designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) is meant to drive reforms through diplomatic pressure, not military intervention.
According to ThisDay, members of a bipartisan U.S. Congressional delegation said this in Abuja during a press conference after meetings with Nigerian government officials, religious leaders, civil society groups, and private sector stakeholders.
Led by Congressman Bill Huizenga, the delegation also included Reps. Michael Baumgartner, Keith Self, and Jefferson Shreve.
“Nigeria does need help, but that does not mean U.S. troops,” Huizenga said. “The CPC designation is a tool to motivate action, not a prelude to military deployment.”
The lawmakers stressed that the decision to place Nigeria on the CPC list was driven by persistent and widespread violence affecting citizens across religious lines, particularly in parts of the Middle Belt where attacks are often described as having religious or sectarian dimensions.
“It is unacceptable that anyone, Muslim or Christian, is experiencing this level of violence,” one member of the delegation said. “Protecting citizens of all faiths is a core responsibility of the Nigerian state.”
Nigeria was redesignated a Country of Particular Concern by the U.S. government over concerns about religious freedom and unchecked violence, a move that has generated intense debate both in Washington and Abuja.
The delegation said the designation has already triggered internal discussions within Nigeria’s government, describing this as an encouraging sign.
According to them, the move is not intended to punish Nigeria or stigmatise its people but to push for concrete reforms, accountability, and stronger protection of fundamental rights.
They also drew a clear distinction between terrorism in the North-East, linked to Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), and communal or religiously motivated violence in states such as Plateau and Benue.
“There are different regional realities,” a lawmaker said. “What works in Borno State may not work in Plateau or Benue.”
U.S. officials emphasised that Nigeria’s CPC status is not permanent and will be reviewed based on measurable progress in curbing violence and improving religious freedom.
They dismissed claims that the designation could damage U.S.–Nigeria relations, describing it instead as difficult but honest engagement between partners.
“True friends don’t walk away,” Huizenga said. “They stay engaged, even when the conversation is difficult.”
While ruling out military intervention, the delegation expressed support for expanded non-military engagement, including humanitarian assistance, diplomatic cooperation, institutional reforms, and capacity-building initiatives.
This was described as putting “shoes on the ground, not boots”.
They warned that continued instability in Africa’s most populous nation has implications far beyond its borders, noting Nigeria’s strategic importance to regional and global stability.
The lawmakers said they would brief colleagues in Washington on their findings, adding that sustained dialogue, transparency, and concrete reforms could pave the way for a review of Nigeria’s CPC status and a stronger bilateral partnership.
US Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills, said the visit underscored the importance Washington places on Nigeria.
The ambassador said the Michigan-led delegation met Nigerian leaders to discuss shared priorities such as strengthening democratic institutions, expanding trade and investment, and resolving concerns that led to Nigeria’s CPC designation.
He noted that the visit reflected bipartisan support in the U.S. Congress for a strong, forward-looking U.S.–Nigeria relationship and efforts to address the issues behind the designation.
Huizenga, a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs and Financial Services Committees, added that the CPC issue, first raised during the Trump administration, has continued to generate intense debate in Congress.
“I felt it was important to make another trip here to be able to look people eye to eye and have frank conversations,” he said. “We are here because this partnership is important to both Nigeria and the United States.”