Chris Smith, the Chairman of the US House of Representatives Subcommittee on Africa, has defended the controversial ‘Country of Particular Concern’ (CPC) designation applied to Nigeria, stating that the decision “was done in good faith.”
Smith made this assertion on Sunday, the 23rd of November, 2025, during an interview on the Channels Television program, ‘Inside Sources,’ hosted by Laolu Akande.
The US lawmaker issued a direct challenge to President Bola Tinubu, urging his administration to swiftly take action against the terrorists responsible for the widespread destruction of lives and property across the country. Smith stressed that the Tinubu administration must intensify efforts to contain the deteriorating security situation, emphasizing that Nigerians deserve better.
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Addressing the President directly regarding the CPC designation, Smith stated: “My view is that he has to act; I’m not going to say the good, the bad and the ugly (about Tinubu). The CPC designation was done in good faith.” He then stressed that the action should be taken for the sake of the populace: “And do it not for us; do it for your own people. They deserved better than looking the other way as all of this happens.”
In a further criticism of the Nigerian government, Congressman Smith took aim at Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar. Smith blasted the Minister for a statement he made on a major television show, where he reportedly claimed that only a “few people have actually been killed,” challenging him publicly to “tell the truth and combat evil.”