Five Republican lawmakers in the United States House of Representatives have introduced a bill aimed at pressuring the Nigerian government over alleged cases of religious persecution and mass atrocities in the country.
The proposed legislation, titled “Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026,” mandates the US Secretary of State to provide a comprehensive report detailing American efforts to address the situation in Nigeria.
If enacted, the bill would empower the Departments of State and Treasury to impose targeted sanctions — including visa restrictions and asset freezes — on individuals or organisations found culpable of grave violations of religious freedom.
Among those named in the bill for potential sanctions are the former Kano State Governor and national leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso; the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN); Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore; and other groups described as “Fulani-ethnic nomad militias in Nigeria.”
The bill was introduced on Tuesday by Chris Smith, Riley Moore, Brian Mast, Mario Diaz-Balart, and Bill Huizenga, with Moore credited as the principal author.
The lawmakers commended US President Donald Trump’s November 2025 decision to redesignate Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) for religious freedom violations, describing it as a just action.
According to the bill, the US should employ “all available diplomatic, humanitarian, economic, and security tools” to pressure Nigeria into ending impunity for perpetrators and protecting vulnerable religious communities, including Christians.
The bill also directs the Secretary of State to consider whether certain Fulani-ethnic militias should be classified as foreign terrorist organizations.
The legislation encourages humanitarian assistance — co-funded by the Nigerian government — through trusted civil society groups, including faith-based organisations, particularly in Nigeria’s Middle Belt states.
Moore, a longtime critic of what he describes as systemic persecution of Christians in Nigeria, visited the country in November 2025 to evaluate the situation firsthand.
Following Nigeria’s designation as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), the Trump administration also approved coordinated strikes with the Nigerian government against terrorists on December 25, 2025.
