The session will be led by Rep. Chris Smith, chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, who has long pushed for action on the issue.

Smith previously introduced a resolution identifying the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) and Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore as groups of concern, recommending visa bans and asset freezes for members.

The resolution also urged the U.S. to list “Fulani-Ethnic Militias” in Benue and Plateau states as Entities of Particular Concern under the International Religious Freedom Act.

According to Smith’s office, the hearing will focus on alleged attacks by “radical Islamists,” the implications of Nigeria’s CPC designation, and what steps the State Department should take in response to what critics call Nigerian government inaction.

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Witnesses on the first panel include Jonathan Pratt of the State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs and Jacob McGee of the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. The second panel will feature experts such as Nina Shea of the Centre for Religious Freedom, Bishop Wilfred Anagbe of Makurdi Diocese, and Oge Onubogu of the Centre for Strategic & International Studies.

Source: Thecable