The United States has proposed targeted sanctions, including visa bans and asset freezes, against individuals and groups accused of involvement in religious freedom violations in Nigeria.
The measures are contained in the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026, a bill introduced on Tuesday by US Congressman Rep. Riley Moore (Republican, West Virginia), with Rep. Chris Smith (Republican, New Jersey) as co-sponsor.
The proposed legislation specifically names Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, former governor of Kano State, alongside Fulani-ethnic nomad militias and groups such as the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) and Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore.
According to the bill, the US Departments of State and Treasury would be urged to impose sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act on individuals or entities deemed responsible for religious freedom violations. The bill also recommends that humanitarian assistance, co-funded by the Nigerian government, be delivered through trusted faith-based and non-governmental organisations operating in Nigeria’s Middle Belt.
Part of the bill states that the US Secretary of State should determine whether certain Fulani militias meet the criteria for designation as Foreign Terrorist Organisations under US law.
Announcing the bill on X, Moore said the legislation builds on earlier US actions, including Nigeria’s designation as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) over severe religious freedom violations and the recent US–Nigeria security framework agreement.
“The US is a Christian nation. As such, we must stand with persecuted Christians around the world,” Moore wrote. “Our legislation builds on the momentum of President Trump’s CPC designation of Nigeria.”
Religious freedom concerns in Nigeria have intensified amid persistent violence in the Middle Belt and parts of the North, where armed attacks have displaced communities and claimed thousands of lives.
In late 2025, former US President Donald Trump re-designated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern, citing allegations of systematic attacks on religious communities, particularly Christians. The Nigerian government has rejected the characterisation, insisting that the country’s security challenges are complex and not driven by religious conflict.
The situation has also drawn deeper US security involvement. In December 2025, the United States carried out coordinated airstrikes against Islamic State-linked militants in northwest Nigeria, alongside expanded military training and logistical support for Nigerian forces as part of broader counter-terrorism cooperation.
The proposed legislation is yet to be debated by the US Congress.
