POTUS Letter re Special Envoy for Nigeria and Lake Chad Region

January 27, 2020

Hon. Donald J. Trump
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear Mr. President:

As you have rightly made the protection of religious freedom a priority for your administration, we write to urge you to act immediately to prevent the further escalation of one of the most ominous threats to this fundamental liberty – the genocidal assault on Christians in Nigeria and the Lake Chad region. You and your predecessors have appointed special envoys to address critical problems in the past. We call upon you to do so in this case in the hope of staving off a currently unfolding disaster for that region, for Africa and for the world.

It has been well-documented that Christians and other minorities in Nigeria and neighboring countries have been subjected to growing, often murderous violence for years – including during the just-concluded Christmas season. (Attached is a summary of the carnage that has been inflicted in Nigeria in just the past few weeks.) The mounting genocide in Nigeria and the Lake Chad region is being perpetrated by groups like Boko Haram, the Islamic State West African Province and Fulani militants. The government of Nigeria has done little to stop the violence and bloodletting.

The implications of this crisis extend far beyond Nigeria. Its potential implosion may result in a gargantuan bloodbath and send millions of refugees to nations near-and-far unprepared to support them. In a December 20, 2019 article, acclaimed international religious freedom advocate Bernard-Henri Levy warned:

I have a terrible feeling of being carried back to Rwanda in the 1990s, to Darfur and South Sudan in the 2000s. Will the West let history repeat itself in Nigeria? Will we wait, as usual, until the disaster is done before taking notice? Will we stand by as international Islamic extremism opens a new front across this vast land, where the children of Abraham have coexisted for so long?

We urge you to impress upon President Buhari and his government how important this is to the United States and other nations.

We consider the stakes in this matter, both for our own country and for our vital interests around the world, to be sufficiently great that you should appoint a prominent and highly respected champion of religious freedom as your Special Envoy to bring a redoubled effort to monitoring the situation on the ground in Nigeria and the Lake Chad region and, even more important, to forge and execute an appropriate U.S. strategy for ameliorating it.

Sincerely,

1) Frank Wolf, Member of Congress 1981-2014, retired
2) Stephen Enada, President, International Committee on Nigeria
3) Dr. Sayo Ajiboye, President, Redeemer Bible College, RCCG
4) Frank J. Gaffney, President and CEO, Save the Persecuted Christians
5) Dede Laugesen, Executive Director, Save the Persecuted Christians
6) Kevin Jessip, Chairman, Save the Persecuted Christians
7) Archbishop and Primate, Foley Beach, Anglican Church in North America
8) Dr. Gloria Puldu, Director, Leah Foundation
9) Travis Weber, Vice President for Policy and Government Affairs, Director of the Center for Religious Liberty, Family Research Council
10) Faith McDonnell, Director, International Religious Liberty Program, Institute on Religion & Democracy
11) Jorge Parrott, President, Christ’s Mandate for Missions
12) Charmaine Hedding, President, Shai Fund
13) Juliana Taimoorazy, President, Iraqi Christian Relief Council
14) Rev. Dr. Art Lindsley, Vice-President, Theological Initiatives, Institute for Faith, Work & Economics
15) Terwase Orbunde, National Coordinator, Prayerforced Interventions Initiative
16) Dr. Agorom Dike, President, Caribbean and African Faithbased Leadership Conference
17) Rev. Prof Bauta Motty, ECWA SEMINAR, JOS
18) Omer Kanat, Executive Director, Uyghur Human Rights Project
19) Roxann Moss, Director of Administration, Christians in Crisis
20) Scott Morgan, Red Eagle Enterprises
21) Dr. Nguyen Dinh Thang, CEO & President, Boat People SOS – Religious Freedom Project
22) Helen Ngo, President, Committee for Religious Freedom in Vietnam
23) Dr. Quoc-Hung Tran, Director, Office of External Affairs, Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam
24) Emmanuel Ogebe, Managing Partner, US Nigeria Law Group
25) Valle, President, CAP Liberte de Conscience
26) Hanh Thai-Tang, Vice Exterior Affair, Junior Sacerdotal Council of Caodai
27) Timothy Hall, Senior Fellow, Religious Freedom Institute
28) Dr. Fabong Jemchang Yidam, Plateau Youth Council
29) Dr. S. Bryan Hickox, President & CEO, Bryan Hickox Pictures, Inc
30) Elizabeth Yore, esq., YoreChildren
31) Daniel John Emig, Consultant, Frontier Partners International
32) Suzanne Scholte, President, Defense Forum Foundation
33) Rudolph Atallah, CEO, White Mountain Research, Inc.
34) Teri Moy, Co-Founder, The Blessings Project
35) Dr. Manasseh Allen, Impact Trust International
36) Prof. Charles Adeyinka Adisa, Abia State University
37) Abdallah Balkie, International Organization for Peace and Social Justice
38) Toni Nadi, Secretary-General, Lower Niger Congress
39) Hon. (Arc.) Eniye Mason Braide, Africa Mandate
40) Gyang Zi, esq., National Legal Advisor, Berom Educational and Cultural Organization (BECO)
41) Rev. Polycarp Gbaja, Stride Leadership Foundation
42) Sharon Jones, CEO, The Good Friday National Holiday Campaign
43) Engr. Samuel Agbai, Word Fire and Refiners Assembly
44) Dr. Pogu Bitrus, President, Middle Belt Forum
45) Uchenna Ugah, Scotiabank
46) Joseph Ndirang, Evangelist, Kingdom Life Christian Mission International
47) Dr. Barr Innocent Ekwu, President, Association of Gospel Ministers of Nigeria, Inc
48) Rev. Antonio Aquino, Global President, The Interfaith Dialogue Table
49) Francis Igboke, Medical
50) Lawrence Chijoke Caleb-Uttah, CEO, Boaneges Project Resources Nig., Ltd
51) Engr. Daniel Kadzai, National Youth President, Congress of Northern Nigeria Christians
52) George Parker, Executive Director, Revealing Light Ministries
53) Cyril Obasiu, Public Servant
54) Prophet Israel C. Nzeadi, GO, Word and Praise Miracle Ministry
55) Tur Amishe Gideon, President, Christian Youth Peace and Reconciliation Movement
56) Dr. Jin Shin, President, Institute for Peace Affairs & Co-Chair, International Alliance of Religious Freedom for North Korea
57) Linda Harvey, President, Mission America
58) Frank Seignious, President & Founder, Doulos Disciples – World Wide
59) Samuel Gyang Dusu, Legal Practitioner, Samuel Dusus & Co.
60) Chief Akachukwu Ubesie, Akachukwu Power Nig. Limited
61) Yusuf Benedict Garba, Lecturer, Adamawa State Polytechnic, Yola
62) Michael Ricky Hendricks, Every Nation Church South Africa
63) Valle, President, CAP Liberte de Conscience
64) Dr. Sharon Kroner, CEO, Freedom of Religion – United Solutions (FOR-US)
65) Eunice Onwuamaegbu, Oversea Fellowship of Nigeria Christians
66) Ellen Grigsby, Director of Institutional Partnerships, Open Doors USA
67) David Pool, Pastor, Grace Church
68) Joshua Menang, Rose Hospital
69) Caroline Adebayo, Oversea Fellowship of Nigerian Christians
70) Patrick R Carberry, Founder, Joshuacord
71) Betide Saltzberg, A Mindful Approach
72) Gideon Simon Ghajiga, World Merchandise Services Limited
73) Lindsay Vessey, Director of Development & Advocacy, Coptic Solidarity
74) Dr. Ayuba Lawan, Langley House Trust
75) Michael L. Parks, CEO, Frontier Partners International
76) Catherine Williams, New Heights Christian Church
77) Matthew Maduwuba Mbanaja, Bilie Human Rights Initiative
78) Peggy Littleton, Director of Western Region, ReadyOp
79) Barbara Bender, Church of California
80) Theodore Ezeobi, Knowledge Education Empowerment for All Foundation
81) Wisdom Edmond Kwati, President, Wisdom Kwati Foundation
82) Rev. Douglas Betts, Big Squeeze Entertainment Corp.
83) Christopher French, Minister, The Hub
84) Jenny Noyes, Executive Director, New Wineskins Missionary Network
85) Patricia W. Streeter, Co-director, Anglican Persecuted Church Network
86) Olubunmi Jinadu, Founder, Licensed 2 Heal
87) Stefania Della Santa, Missionary, Associazione Missionaria L’ONDA
88) Dr. Frances Holden, CMM Theology Fort Mill, SC
89) Rev. Mark Edwards, President, Make Ministries
90) Olayinka Fagbuaro, CEO, Costridot International, Ltd
91) Lorri Dresbach, Founder, 3D Inspiration Foundation
92) Terri Marrow, Carenet
93) Daniel Oluwasegun Olubi, Pastor, Christ Empowerment
94) Jan-Willem Meijer, Foundation JustGo4It
95) Satoshi Nishihata, Washington Bureau Chief, Happy Science USA Washington Bureau
96) Oluwatoyin Akinbola, Masterpiece Production, Ltd
97) Okechukwu Ifeanyi Okonkwo, CEO, Iktjano & Cedarshill Ventures
98) Adebayo Idowu, Elder, Christ Apostolic Church
99) Rev. Ruth Acquaroli, The Bridge
100) Pastor Osarhiaekhimen Chinedu Amarachi, God’s Manifest Mission Abuja
101) Dr. Felix Oyari, University of Abuja Teaching Hospital Gwagwalada ABUJA
102) Ben Irabor, Lead Pastor, Citadel of Grace Christian Center
103) Yusufu Adamu Mamza, Barrister, Liberty Harbingers Network
104) Mark Abers, Church Servant International, Inc.
105) Livingstone Chieke, Managing Partner, Cyndastone Synergies Ltd
106) Folaranmi Nathaniel Olatunji, Assistant Pastor, The Father’s Church Abuja
107) Kehinde Fayanju, Afenifere Renewal Group
108) Dr. Pat Habtemichael, Founder, Believers Dominion Ministries

INDIVIDUALS:
1) Mr. Richard Yakubu Bokko
2) Mr. Migi Zira
3) Sir James Burke
4) Mrs. Ann Dieterich
5) Ms. Marianne Strenger
6) Mr. Dennis Hallisey
7) Mr. Mikkie du Toit
8) Mr. John Bynum
9) Ms. Jamie Tinkle
10) Ms. Carol A. Knapp
11) Mrs. Leasha McCoy
12) Prof. Emeritus John Palmer
13) Mr. Robert Winn
14) Ms. Barbee Eckenrode
15) Ms. Pamela E Edwards
16) Mrs. Conni Leonessa
17) Mrs. Cris Bull
18) Mrs. Pauline Wbh
19) Dr. Olasunkanmi Othniel Adebayo
20) Ms. Mellany McKenzie
21) Ms. Elaine Papp
22) Ms. Cindy Capps
23) Ms. Lisa Ritchie
24) Ms. Becky Strong
25) Ms. Janeen Jewett
26) Mr. P. Miland
27) Ms. Leslie C. Holmex
28) Ms. Patricia W. Streeter
29) Mrs. Ann Dieterich
30) Mr. Tolu Jinadu
31) Ms. Maria Ramirez
32) Mr. Miguel Ramirez
33) Ms. Catharine Trauernicht