Nigeria’s Crisis: Islamist Terrorists, Violent Nomadic Herders, “Bandit” Gangs, and the US Foreign Policy Response

More Christians are killed for their faith in Nigeria than in any other country in the world. On October 31, 2025, President Donald Trump designated Nigeria a country of particular concern under the International Religious Freedom Act for having “engaged in or tolerated particularly severe violations of religious freedom.”  Hudson Institute and the Ben Franklin Fellowship host a two-panel discussion examining United States policy as it confronts the crisis of terror in Nigeria. The event features Senior Fellows Matt Boyse, Joshua Meservey and Nina Shea, as well as Greg Simpkins, former staff director of the US House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa.  The first panel covers the current state of play in Nigeria, including the upcoming 2027 national elections and possible considerations for US policymakers. The second panel analyzes policies to address militia attacks that freely target Christians.