“THE MASSACRE OF CHRISTIANS IN NIGERIA WILL NOT BE TOLERATED” – US LAWMAKERS GIVES STRONG WARNING ON KADUNA ABDUCTIONS
Senior lawmakers in the United States have issued one of their strongest warnings yet to Nigeria’s government following the mass abduction of Christian worshippers in Kaduna State, declaring that Washington can no longer look away from what they describe as systematic, targeted violence against Christian communities.
The statements, released on January 22, 2026, followed the January 18 raid on three churches in Kurmin Wali, Kajuru Local Government Area, where more than 100 worshippers were abducted during church services. The attack immediately triggered outrage among religious freedom advocates in the US Congress, who say the incident fits a long-established pattern of kidnappings, killings and intimidation aimed at Christians in Nigeria’s Middle Belt and northern regions.
Congressman Chris Smith of New Jersey, co-chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission and one of the most vocal advocates on Nigeria-related human rights issues, described the abductions as deliberate persecution rather than criminal opportunism. He said the seizure of worshippers from churches was “not random crime” but part of a broader campaign targeting Christians, and warned that the United States would not stand by while such attacks continue. Smith demanded the immediate release of all abductees and clear accountability from Nigerian authorities.
Arkansas Congressman French Hill, a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, went further, pointing directly at armed Fulani militias, Boko Haram remnants and ISWAP-linked elements. He said the tactics were familiar and warned that the US should move toward designating and sanctioning commanders, networks and financiers behind the violence. His message was blunt: impunity has gone on for too long.
From the Senate, James Lankford of Oklahoma renewed pressure on the US State Department over Nigeria’s religious freedom record. He said Abuja must prove it can protect all citizens, especially vulnerable religious minorities, warning that continued failure would force a reassessment of US–Nigeria relations, including security cooperation and assistance.
The intervention comes amid criticism of Kaduna State authorities and security agencies, who initially appeared to downplay the scale of the abduction before confirming it under pressure from survivor accounts, church leaders and circulating lists of victims that put the figure far higher than early official statements. As of the time of reporting, no confirmed mass release of hostages had been announced.
US lawmakers cited data from international and Nigerian rights groups, including Open Doors, Intersociety and Amnesty International, which estimate that thousands of Christians have been killed in Nigeria in recent years. Kaduna, Plateau, Benue and Taraba states are repeatedly identified as flashpoints where armed attacks, kidnappings and mass killings intersect with religious identity, land disputes and jihadist expansion.
Their statements also sharpen the diplomatic stakes. Nigeria was redesignated a Country of Particular Concern for religious freedom violations in December 2025, a status that opens the door to sanctions, visa restrictions and aid conditions. Members of Congress have long accused successive US administrations of applying that designation too softly. The Kaduna abductions are now being cited as evidence that stronger action is overdue.
The message from Capitol Hill is no longer subtle. The abduction of Christians from churches is being framed not as an internal Nigerian security problem, but as an international human rights crisis unfolding in plain sight. With rescue efforts ongoing and families still waiting for news, US lawmakers have made it clear that Nigeria’s response — or failure to respond — will shape what comes next.
The warning has been delivered. What follows will determine whether Abuja still has the confidence of its most powerful international partner.
