U.S. Senator Ted Cruz has proposed a bill aimed at protecting “persecuted” Christians in Nigeria by mandating sanctions against Nigerian government officials.
Christened the “Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025,” the legislation seeks to hold officials accountable for allegedly “facilitating the mass murder of Christians” by Islamist militant groups.
Key Provisions of the Proposed Bill
The comprehensive bill calls for several measures to increase pressure on the Nigerian government:
- Targeted Sanctions: Imposing sanctions on Nigerian officials who are deemed responsible for facilitating the violence or those who “enforce Sharia and blasphemy laws.”
- “Country of Particular Concern” Designation: Requiring the U.S. Secretary of State to officially designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) regarding religious freedom.
- Continued Terror Designation: Mandating that Boko Haram and ISIS-West Africa (ISWAP) remain designated as Entities of Particular Concern.
Senator Cruz introduced the bill in early September, shortly before the Trump administration signed a memo labeling views leaning toward anti-Christianity as domestic terrorism.
On Friday, Cruz insisted the bill was vital to addressing the crisis, specifically citing recent reports that over 5,000 residents had fled Borno State into Cameroon after Boko Haram militants captured the border town of Kirawa.
“Officials in Nigeria are ignoring and even facilitating the mass murder of Christians by Islamist jihadists,” Cruz alleged. “It’s time to hold those responsible accountable. My Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act would target these officials with powerful sanctions and other tools.”
While the Nigerian Federal Government has repeatedly rejected claims of official complicity in religious persecution, the bill remains a key focus amid growing global fears over anti-Christian behavior in the country.
The proposal is currently stalled by a legislative impasse in Washington, which has forced a U.S. government shutdown, temporarily paralyzing Congress.
