Amidst rising tension between Nigeria and the United States, a new U.S. congressional bill which proposes sanctions against 12 northern governors, traditional rulers, and senior judicial figures accused of enabling religious persecution and enforcing blasphemy laws has emerged.
The initiative comes as U.S. President Donald Trump recently placed Nigeria back on the Country of Particular Concern (CPC) list—an official U.S. designation reserved for nations accused of severe violations of religious freedom.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump condemned what he described as widespread attacks on Christians in Nigeria and directed key congressional leaders including Congressman Riley Moore and House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole—to investigate urgently.
“Thousands of Christians are being killed in Nigeria. Radical Islamists are responsible,” Trump wrote.
“America cannot fold its hands while these atrocities continue.”
The bill, titled the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025, is sponsored by Republican Senator Ted Cruz. It seeks to formalize Nigeria’s CPC status and mandate sanctions against officials accused of either supporting or failing to curb religiously motivated violence.
If passed, the U.S. Secretary of State would have 90 days to submit a list of Nigerian leaders allegedly connected to discriminatory practices or religiously motivated attacks. Those named could face visa restrictions, asset freezes, and other penalties under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act.
The bill focuses on northern states that expanded Sharia law into criminal justice beginning with Zamfara State in 1999. Eleven other northern states including Kano, Sokoto, Katsina, Kaduna, Borno, Yobe, Gombe, Bauchi, Kebbi, Niger, and Jigawa later adopted similar codes, creating dual legal systems alongside Nigeria’s civil courts.
In contrast, states such as Kwara, Kogi, Benue, Nasarawa, Taraba, and Adamawa restrict Sharia to personal matters like marriage and inheritance.
Recent controversy erupted when the Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria attempted to establish offices in Oyo and Ogun States in the southwest, prompting public criticism before the council clarified the offices were for mediation only, not formal legal proceedings.
Senator Cruz told lawmakers that Nigeria has failed to protect religious minorities.
“Over 52,000 Christians have been murdered since 2009, more than 20,000 churches destroyed, and dozens of communities wiped out,” he claimed, accusing federal and state authorities of “complicity by omission or action.”
The bill also cites several blasphemy-related prosecutions in states like Kano, Bauchi, Sokoto, and Katsina, including cases involving minors and entertainers.
Credit: TNG
