Rep. Johnny Olszewski on Extremist Violence in Nigeria and US Aid

Extremist Violence in Nigeria

• ⚠️ Christians are being massacred in Nigeria, and communities live in constant fear, but this suffering is not confined to one religious group.
• 🎯 Extremist groups like Boko Haram and ISIS West Africa threaten both Muslims and Christians, indicating that terrorism has no color and no religion.
• 💡 The core issue is not the Nigerian government's intent to persecute based on faith, but rather its lack of capacity to protect communities from indiscriminate violence.

US Role and Capacity Building

• 🤝 The US should focus on building Nigeria's capacity to maintain peace through technical support, training, and investment, rather than just threatening air strikes and sanctions.
• ❓ A key question is whether the State Department assesses that the Nigerian government has the capacity to protect all religious groups from extremist violence.
• 📊 While Nigeria is a wealthy and populous country, the US believes the issue is one of focus and is providing assistance and programs to help address the security problem.

Youth Programs and Interfaith Dialogue

• 🤝 The US has historically supported Nigerian civil society organizations, including programs that brought together Christian and Muslim youth leaders to promote dialogue.
• 🚫 A State Department-funded program, Nigerian Youth Care, which aimed to bridge religious divides, was disrupted and did not receive an extension, raising questions about its reinstitution.
• 💬 The US is committed to effective programming on the ground that includes early warning, early response systems, and dialogue between religious communities, while ensuring taxpayer dollars are used effectively.