[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 202 (Wednesday, December 3, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8455-S8456]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                Nigeria

  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, if you watch television, you are hearing 
a lot of reports from Nigeria about kidnappings and murders, other 
reports of violence, and particularly you are hearing it about 
Christians in Nigeria.
  This violence has grown more frequent and more troubling as time goes 
on. The enforcement of blasphemy laws by the Nigerian Government 
coupled with the rise of violent attacks by terrorists against 
religious communities represents a serious infringement upon the 
freedom of religion that you are supposed to have in that country.
  Blasphemy laws are enforced in 12 Nigerian states and also at the 
Federal level. That enforcement is resulting in the prosecution and 
imprisonment of Christians, Muslims, traditional practitioners, and 
even humanists. Furthermore, violence by terrorists like Boko Haram and 
the other organization called the Islamic State West Africa Province 
continues to pose serious security challenges.
  Unfortunately, these challenges are not new developments. For years, 
we have been hearing from our own government Agencies, particularly the 
FBI and the Department of Justice, urging our own State Department to 
designate the terrorist group Boko Haram as a foreign terrorist 
organization, a step that was delayed until 2013.
  For my part, I have consistently sought information and action to 
address this ongoing threat. Going way back almost 10 years in 2016, I 
sent a letter to then-U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch requesting 
information regarding the yearslong process of designating the Nigerian 
Islamist group Boko Haram as a foreign terrorist organization.
  In 2020, I wrote to then-Secretary Pompeo and Ambassador Sam 
Brownback asking what steps were being taken to protect Christians in 
Nigeria and whether a Special Envoy might be appointed.
  At that time, the Department assured me that they were actively 
addressing the issue at multiple levels with the Nigerian Government, 
but now, years later, we continue to see concerning reports about 
violence and religious prosecution in Nigeria.
  That is why I was so very happy to see our own President Trump take 
long-awaited action in designating Nigeria a country of particular 
concern. That designation puts Nigeria on a watch list, puts Nigeria on 
notice that if they don't take care of this situation, other things can 
intervene.
  The Nigerian Government must take immediate action to end this 
violence, and the United States should do all it can to support and 
encourage those efforts. Once again, I am proud to see President Trump 
on television, at his news conferences and things like that, speaking 
up for the Nigerian Government to take action and supporting the plight 
of Christians in Nigeria.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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