The diplomatic tension between Abuja and Washington is set to increase as key US lawmakers continue to push for legislative action to address the widespread and ongoing persecution of Christians in Nigeria. This effort, spearheaded by members of the US Congress, aims to compel the Nigerian government to enforce religious freedom protections and hold perpetrators of violence accountable.
Spearheading the latest legislative moves is Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who recently introduced the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025. The bill seeks to impose targeted sanctions, including visa bans and asset freezes, on Nigerian officials deemed complicit in facilitating Islamist jihadist violence and the enforcement of controversial blasphemy laws.
These efforts in the Senate complement years of similar actions in the House of Representatives led by figures like Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ), who has repeatedly championed resolutions urging the Executive Branch to place Nigeria on the State Department’s list of “Countries of Particular Concern” (CPC).
Legislative Stance: US lawmakers assert that Nigeria meets the legal threshold for the CPC designation due to the failure of the government to protect its citizens. They cite data suggesting tens of thousands of Christians have been killed and thousands of churches destroyed by extremist groups and armed bandits since 2009.
The recent threats by US President Donald Trump, which include a CPC redesignation and a possible cut-off of aid, have given significant momentum to the lawmakers’ resolutions. The Nigerian government, however, firmly rejects the “Christian genocide” narrative, stating that insecurity is a broad challenge that affects all citizens regardless of faith, and that it is using every available resource to combat terrorism.
The resolutions signal that the US legislative branch intends to maintain sustained pressure on Nigeria, using the tools of foreign policy to enforce human rights standards.
