The United States has pledged to closely monitor Nigeria’s January presidential election, warning that the exercise could trigger violence amid the country’s existing security challenges.

The US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Frank Garcia, raised the concern in prepared testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa during a congressional hearing on violence in Nigeria on Thursday.

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Garcia identified the forthcoming election as one of the major challenges facing efforts to address insecurity, cautioning that the political exercise could heighten tensions and lead to violence.

I am realistic about the challenges ahead.

For example, Nigeria will hold presidential elections in January, which could spur violence, he said.

He also highlighted the country’s overstretched security architecture, limited judicial reach in the Middle Belt and inadequate resources as major obstacles to tackling the crisis.

The comments came amid concerns over persistent attacks on Christian communities and the Nigerian government’s response following the country’s designation as a Country of Particular Concern by US President Donald Trump on October 31, 2025.

During the hearing, US Congressman Riley Moore urged Washington to pay particular attention to the election, stressing the need for close scrutiny of developments surrounding the exercise.

We need to be watching these presidential elections like a hawk.

And I’m gonna be watching them, and we all need to be watching them, Moore said.

Responding, the Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labour, Riley Barnes, said the State Department already had a dedicated team monitoring electoral processes across the world.

Barnes described Nigeria’s election as a high-priority exercise and assured lawmakers that the department would follow developments closely.

He said the team monitored elections in several countries, particularly those considered important to US diplomatic interests.

The congressional hearing also examined continued violence in Nigeria, particularly attacks on Christian communities in the Middle Belt, as well as measures being taken by the Federal Government to protect vulnerable populations.

Garcia said the US was engaging the Nigerian government through a Joint Working Group established after Nigeria’s designation as a Country of Particular Concern.

According to him, discussions within the group focused on increased security deployments, prompt responses to early warnings, accountability for perpetrators and stronger military cooperation.

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He added that Washington expected Nigeria to demonstrate measurable progress in addressing the violence, noting that diplomatic engagement and security cooperation would continue.