By Our Correspondent | Washington, D.C./Abuja
A powerful coalition of U.S.-based advocacy groups has issued a blistering call to the Nigerian government, urging it to confront mounting allegations of targeted attacks on Christians and stop dismissing international concerns as propaganda.
The American Veterans of Igbo Descent (AVID), in collaboration with Ambassadors for Self-Determination and Rising Sun, made the demand in a joint statement signed by Dr. Sylvester Onyia and obtained by THE WHISTLER on Thursday.
Their statement followed remarks by a U.S. senator who recently condemned what he described as “systematic violence against Christian communities in Nigeria,” calling for stronger international intervention to hold perpetrators accountable.
“Sovereignty should not be used as a shield for human-rights violations,” the coalition declared. “The world is not questioning Nigeria’s unity, it’s questioning the safety and dignity of its citizens.”
AVID noted that hundreds of Christian villages and worship centers have been destroyed over the past decade by bandits and insurgents, while the Nigerian government continues to insist the violence is driven by criminality and resource conflicts, not religion.
The group welcomed renewed U.S. congressional interest in Nigeria’s human-rights record and backed fresh calls to return Nigeria to the U.S. State Department’s “Countries of Particular Concern” list for religious freedom violations, a status Nigeria briefly held in 2020.
While acknowledging Nigeria’s right to manage its internal affairs, AVID urged the United Nations Human Rights Council and U.S. Congress to maintain pressure on Abuja to ensure accountability and protection for vulnerable communities.
The coalition also pressed for the release or fair trial of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), saying his prolonged detention represents a “litmus test” for Nigeria’s commitment to constitutional justice.
“Nigeria’s image abroad is best defended through justice at home,” AVID stated. “Real leadership is shown by protecting citizens, not silencing them.”
The groups called for urgent dialogue among the Nigerian government, faith leaders, and civil-society actors to rebuild trust and halt the cycle of sectarian violence.
“Lasting peace will only come when all sides commit to justice, dialogue, and reconciliation,” the statement concluded.
