The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has urged the U.S. government to appoint a Special Envoy for Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin to tackle religious persecution and violence in the region. In its latest report, USCIRF accused the Nigerian government of failing to address attacks by extremist groups, including Boko Haram and ISWAP, who target religious communities.
The report also recommended that Nigeria be designated as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) due to rising religious violence. It highlighted ongoing blasphemy laws, the imprisonment of religious figures, and violent attacks on both Christian and Muslim communities. USCIRF further called for terrorist groups like Boko Haram and ISWAP to be reclassified as Entities of Particular Concern (EPCs).
Religious violence in Nigeria has continued to escalate, with reports of kidnappings, killings, and attacks on places of worship. Despite repeated warnings, USCIRF criticized the Nigerian government for not doing enough to protect religious minorities, leading to more insecurity and unrest across the country.
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