A new US Congress bill has recommended targeted sanctions and other restrictive measures on individuals and entities who lawmakers say are responsible for severe violations of religious freedom in Nigeria.
The bill named the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) and the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore as erring entities
According to reports, part of the sanctions recommended for members of the groups include visa bans and asset freezes.
US Congressman Smith Christopher on Tuesday introduced a bill commending President Donald Trump for redesignating Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) over alleged religious persecution.
The bill also seeks to classify “Fulani-Ethnic Militias” operating in Benue and Plateau States as Entities of Particular Concern (EPC) under the International Religious Freedom Act, citing their alleged involvement in attacks on civilians.
Some previously designated EPCs include Boko Haram, the Houthis, ISIS-Sahel, ISIS-West Africa, and the Taliban.
The bill came the same day as an announcement from Ted Cruz, US senator, who vowed to hold Nigerian officials accountable over claims of a Christian genocide.
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“I intend to be very explicit about who they are in the coming days and weeks,” Cruz said. In October, the senator had proposed a bill christened the ‘Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025’.
The proposed bill called for targeted sanctions against “federal officials or state governors” who “promoted, enacted, or maintained Nigerian blasphemy laws, including through public advocacy, legislative action, or executive enforcement directives”.
President Trump had recently threatened Nigeria, alleging that there is an ongoing Christian genocide in the country. In a subsequent statement, Trump warned the Nigerian government to take action to stop the killings or risk military invasion.
However, the Federal Government said the United States’ designation of Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” over alleged violations of religious freedom is based on a wrong perception of the country’s security challenges.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, stated this on Wednesday in Abuja while addressing journalists.
Idris said the US position stemmed from “misrepresentation and misinformation” about Nigeria’s internal security situation.
According to him, terrorism and violent crimes in Nigeria do not target any particular religious group.
“Nigeria faces long-standing security challenges that have impacted Christians and Muslims alike.
“Any narrative suggesting that the Nigerian state is failing to take action against religious attacks is based on misinformation or faulty data,” Idris said.
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