Abuja, Nigeria — October 15, 2025
The Nigerian Senate has constituted a 12-member ad-hoc committee to advise on the country’s response to mounting international concerns over alleged state-backed persecution of Christians.
The decision was made during a closed-door session of the Senate, where lawmakers deliberated on recent claims by the United States government suggesting possible acts of genocide targeting Christians in certain regions of Nigeria.
The formation of the committee comes amid growing diplomatic scrutiny and concerns over the impact such allegations could have on Nigeria’s international standing and interfaith relations.
Senators named to the committee include Victor Umeh, Yemi Adaramodu, Aniekan Bassey, Niyi Adegbonmire, Abdul Ningi, and Titus Zam. Others appointed are Tony Nwoye, Tahir Munguno, and Asuquo Ekpenyong.
The committee has been mandated to develop a comprehensive position paper that will inform the Senate’s and Executive’s response to the allegations. The report is expected to provide recommendations on how to safeguard Nigeria’s reputation while addressing both domestic and international concerns related to religious freedom.
The Senate has not yet announced a timeline for when the committee’s findings will be presented.