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Five United States lawmakers on Tuesday proposed a bill seeking to impose sanctions, including visa ban and asset freeze, on a former governor of Kano and the national leader of the New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP), Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Miyetti Allah Kautal Horeon, among others.
The lawmakers introduced the bill at the country’s House of Representatives to compel the secretary of state to submit a “comprehensive report on US efforts to address the ongoing religious persecution and mass atrocities in Nigeria”.
The legislation titled ‘Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026’ was proposed by congressmen including legislation Chris Smith, Riley Moore (bill author), Brian Mast, Mario Diaz-Balart, and Bill Huizenga, proposed the bill.
The sponsors said President Donald Trump “acted justly” by redesignating Nigeria as a country of particular concern (CPC).
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According to them, the US should use “all available diplomatic, humanitarian, economic, and security tools to pressure the Government of Nigeria to end impunity for perpetrators of mass atrocities and religious persecution and protect Christian communities, clergy, and other targeted religious minorities”.
Based on the provisions of the proposed legislation, the secretary of state is expected to determine whether certain Fulani-ethnic militias in Nigeria qualify as a foreign terrorist organisation.
The bill reads in part, “The United States should deliver humanitarian assistance, co-funded by the Government of Nigeria, through trusted civil society organizations, including faith-based organizations, in Nigeria’s middle belt states.
“The Department of State and the Department of the Treasury should impose targeted sanctions, including visa bans and asset freezes under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, on individuals or entities responsible for severe religious freedom violations, or report to Congress the reasons such sanctions have not been imposed, including—
“(A) Fulani-ethnic nomad militias in Nigeria;
“(B) Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, former Kano State Governor;
‘(C) Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN); and
“(D) Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore.”
The author of the bill, Moore, publicly claimed that Christian are systemically facing persecution in Nigeria.
However, the Federal Government has repeatedly denied the allegation, saying followers of the two religions are victims of violence, particularly terrorism.
