US Congress Propose Visa Ban, Asset Freeze On Kwankwaso, Miyetti Allah Over Persecution Of Christians in Nigeria

Five US Congressmen have introduced the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026, recommending targeted sanctions, asset freezes, and visa bans against former presidential candidate Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, and Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, over severe violations of religious freedom, including the persecution of Christians in Nigeria.

The proposed legislation, titled the ‘Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026’, was introduced by Chris Smith, Riley Moore, Brian Mast, Mario Diaz-Balart, and Bill Huizenga and would require the Secretary of State to submit periodic assessments to Congress detailing Nigeria’s compliance with international religious freedom obligations and actions taken to protect vulnerable communities.

The lawmakers cited estimates that between 50,000 and 125,000 Christians were killed between 2009 and 2025, with more than 19,000 churches destroyed. They also referenced attacks in Yelwata, the Christmas Eve massacres of 2023 and 2024, and the Holy Week and Easter attacks of 2024 and 2025, which they said left more than 9,500 people, mostly Christians, dead and displaced over half a million others. According to Open Doors’ 2026 Watch List, Nigeria accounts for 72 per cent of Christians killed worldwide.

The sponsors further highlighted cases such as Rhoda Jatau and Deborah Yakubu, who suffered mob violence, imprisonment or death over alleged blasphemy, while perpetrators were rarely punished.

They said U.S. President Donald Trump “acted justly” by redesignating Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), arguing that the Nigerian government has historically failed to adequately prevent or respond to religiously motivated violence and has tolerated impunity by extremist actors.

Under the bill, the Secretary of State would also determine whether certain Fulani-ethnic militias in Nigeria qualify for designation as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation, while the Departments of State and Treasury would be expected to impose Global Magnitsky sanctions on individuals or entities responsible for severe religious freedom violations.