APC USA chair urges US-Nigeria partnership over insecurity, not sanctions

The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, USA chapter, Prof. Tai Balofin, has urged American lawmakers to strengthen partnership with Nigeria instead of imposing sanctions over the country’s religious freedom challenges.

Balofin stated this on Thursday, when he appeared before the US House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa at a hearing titled “President Trump’s Redesignation of Nigeria as a ‘Country of Particular Concern’ (CPC): A Serious, Well-Founded Wake-Up Call.”

In a statement on Friday, he personally signed, Balofin said the session reviewed ongoing violence and alleged persecution of Christian communities, particularly across the Middle Belt and northern Nigeria.

Addressing Subcommittee Chairman Chris Smith (R-NJ) and other lawmakers, Balofin acknowledged the suffering of Christian communities and referenced personal losses within the APC.

He said, “Chairman Smith, for decades, you have been a fearless champion for persecuted Christians worldwide.

“Today I ask you to continue being a champion for the full truth and for the strong U.S.-Nigeria partnership that protects citizens of every faith.”

However, Balofin cautioned against what he described as “partial narratives,” insisting that Nigeria’s insecurity must be examined in its full context.

He highlighted four key points supported by findings from international research bodies, including the International Crisis Group, ACLED, the US Institute of Peace, and the Council on Foreign Relations.

According to him, the dominant threat in Nigeria has shifted from Boko Haram’s religious insurgency to widespread criminal banditry that affects both Muslims and Christians.

Balofin noted that more than 60 per cent of abductions recorded this year occurred in Muslim communities in Zamfara, Katsina, and Kaduna states.

He also defended the Bola Tinubu administration’s security efforts, citing additional troop deployments, operations involving US-supplied Super Tucano aircraft, and missions such as Operation Accord.

These interventions, he said, have neutralised hundreds of bandit leaders, rescued thousands of hostages, and contributed to a 28 per cent drop in communal violence-related deaths in 2025.

He warned that, ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, some actors were politicising the crisis.

Balofin urged US lawmakers to verify claims through multiple sources, stressing that sanctions or punitive measures could undermine ongoing progress, weaken security cooperation, and embolden extremist groups.

The APC chairman proposed three steps to strengthen US-Nigeria relations: the creation of a joint Religious Freedom and Security Working Group; the renewal of USAID-backed resilience programmes that have reduced violence in parts of Kaduna; and the establishment of a jointly financed Victims of Violence Trust Fund to support affected citizens of all faiths.

He added that the APC remains committed to transparent engagement with US policymakers to advance the shared goal of safeguarding all Nigerians, regardless of religion.’