Prof. Tai Balofin, Chairman of the APC USA chapter, has asked the United States to work with Nigeria instead of placing sanctions over rising insecurity and religious freedom concerns. He made this call during a hearing by the US House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa in Washington.
He spoke on the growing violence in parts of the Middle Belt and northern Nigeria and acknowledged the pain faced by Christian communities, adding that members of his party had also suffered losses. He urged US lawmakers to avoid one-sided reports and look at the full situation in the country.
Balofin said Nigeria’s major problem has moved from religious insurgency to widespread criminal banditry, which affects both Muslims and Christians. He stated that more than 60 percent of kidnappings this year happened in Muslim communities in Zamfara, Katsina, and Kaduna states, showing that the crisis affects all groups.
He defended the security efforts of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, pointing to increased troop deployments, the use of Super Tucano aircraft supplied by the US, and operations such as Operation Accord. He said these steps have helped to neutralise many bandit leaders, rescue thousands of hostages, and reduce deaths linked to communal violence by 28 percent in 2025.
He warned that some political actors may try to use the crisis for advantage ahead of the 2027 elections and advised US lawmakers to verify claims from multiple sources. He noted that sanctions could weaken security cooperation and give room for extremist groups.
He proposed stronger cooperation between both countries through the creation of a joint Religious Freedom and Security Working Group, the renewal of USAID-backed programmes that have helped reduce violence in parts of Kaduna State, and the creation of a jointly funded Victims of Violence Trust Fund to support victims of violence across all religions.