A member of the United States House of Representatives, Johnny Olszewski, has raised concerns over Nigeria’s worsening insecurity, stating that the country lacks the capacity to shield communities from extremist violence.
Speaking on Thursday during a public hearing of the US House Subcommittee on Africa, Olszewski criticised the Nigerian government’s inability to prevent frequent attacks targeting both Christians and Muslims.
“The Nigerian government lacks the means to protect communities against groups that kill indiscriminately,” he said.
“To be clear, this does not abdicate the Nigerian government from responsibility.”
Olszewski, who openly described himself as a Christian, stressed that violence in Nigeria should not be seen solely through the lens of religious persecution, but as evidence of a deep-seated institutional failure.
“Jesus Christ is my Lord and Saviour. I have no problem sharing that. I am also troubled by the state of religious freedom in Nigeria and around the world,” he stated.
“Violence against Christians in Nigeria is a serious issue… but this suffering is not just confined to one religious group.”
He noted that extremist organisations, including Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province, have inflicted equal devastation on Muslim and Christian communities.
According to him, poor governance, corruption and weak institutions continue to leave millions vulnerable.
“A government’s duty is to protect its people. And when there’s a failure to do so, whether that’s neglect or corruption or governance, leaders must be held accountable,” he said.
Olszewski also questioned Washington’s policy approach to Nigeria, calling for practical support to strengthen security institutions rather than punitive threats.
“We should be asking what the US is doing to help Nigeria build that capacity,” he added. “Are we offering real partnerships or just threatening airstrikes and sanctions?”
His comments follow increased global attention on Nigeria’s insecurity challenges, heightened by the recent classification of the country as a Country of Particular Concern by President Donald Trump.
The congressman urged cooperation between both nations, saying, “Let’s work together to fix what is broken.”
