- Asif Mahmood, the newly elected Chair of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), has declared Nigeria his top priority due to ongoing violence targeting faith communities.
- USCIRF warned that the Nigerian government continues to tolerate and fail to respond effectively to violent attacks by non-state actors, including extremist groups like Boko Haram and armed herders.
- Mahmood urged the US administration to fill existing White House vacancies on the bipartisan commission and appoint an ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom to restore full operational capacity.
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has reaffirmed its intense focus on Nigeria, with its newly elected Chair, Asif Mahmood, identifying the nation as the commission’s primary global concern.
Eko Hot Blog reports that speaking in an interview, Mahmood highlighted the severe security challenges facing Africa’s most populous country, emphasizing that violent attacks by non-state actors continue to devastate both Christian and Muslim communities.
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While acknowledging recent diplomatic commendations regarding anti-terrorism efforts, Mahmood noted that ground realities remain alarming, with many worship centers requiring heavy security guards that average citizens cannot afford.
He stressed that USCIRF’s evaluation relies on tangible indicators, including the safety of local households and the recovery of kidnapping victims.
Referencing USCIRF’s 2026 Annual Report, Mahmood pointed out that despite previous designations of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern,” state responses to religious violence remain inadequate.
To strengthen monitoring and intervention, he called on Washington to fill vacant presidential commissioner seats and appoint an ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom under the International Religious Freedom Act.
Mahmood also highlighted legislative momentum in the US House of Representatives aimed at reauthorizing USCIRF through 2028 to maintain bipartisan oversight on global religious persecution.
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