admin
Former Ambassador Sam Brownback used his platform on America Right Now to sound an alarm that should wake every patriotic American: Nigeria needs structural reforms now to stop the slaughter and displacement of Christians. He warned that religious freedom is a cornerstone of human rights and that half measures and platitudes will not protect innocent families from Islamist militias and criminal gangs.
The facts on the ground are grim and undeniable — Nigeria has become one of the deadliest places in the world to be a Christian, with communities terrorized, churches burned, and whole villages emptied. This isn’t abstract talk; leaders and humanitarian experts on conservative media have documented the scale and brutality of the violence and called it a crisis demanding a clear American response.
Brownback didn’t mince words about what’s needed: systemic changes in governance, justice, and local security so that victims can get protection and perpetrators face trials and convictions. Until local Nigerian authorities build accountable police forces and courts that can reach the lawless places, foreign aid and diplomatic pressure must be tied to tangible reforms — not endless excuses from international bureaucracies.
Republicans in Washington, including senators and representatives who have visited Nigeria, rightly urge tougher measures such as re-designating Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern and using sanctions, visa restrictions, and economic levers to force action. Conservatives must stop treating religious persecution as a niche issue and start treating it as the human-rights emergency it is, pushing the administration to back words with consequences and to support policies that restore safety for Christians.
Our nation should lead by defending the persecuted and supporting Nigerian institutions that deliver justice — not coddle corrupt officials or shuffle timid reports. That means concrete aid for rebuilding communities, training for security forces committed to impartial law enforcement, and real accountability for extremists who butcher and abduct with impunity. American strength and moral clarity can save lives if our leaders choose to use them.
This is a moment for Americans of faith and conscience to demand action, not more speeches. We owe it to the martyrs and to our own national character to stand with persecuted Christians abroad, press for real reforms in Nigeria, and ensure that liberty — especially religious liberty — is more than a slogan on a lapel. Sam Brownback’s warning should be a call to arms in the court of public opinion and in the halls of power.
