The United States House of Representatives has urged the Departments of State and Treasury to impose targeted sanctions on individuals and organisations, including the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria and Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, over alleged violations of religious freedom in Nigeria.
This was contained in a resolution introduced before the House on Tuesday, cited by *PUNCH Online* from the US Congress website on Wednesday. The resolution, filed as H. Res. 860 in the 119th Congress by Rep. Christopher Smith and co-sponsored by Rep. Paul Huizenga, commends US President Donald Trump for redesignating Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) following allegations of religious persecution.
Trump had, in a post on Truth Social over the weekend, described Nigeria as a CPC and threatened possible military action if the country failed to curb alleged killings of Christians. The resolution cited multiple reports from NGOs and media outlets alleging large-scale attacks on civilians, destruction of places of worship, and a pattern of impunity in northern and central Nigeria.
It partly reads: “For over a decade, Islamic terror organisations have carried out mass murder, rape, kidnappings, and other atrocities targeting mostly Nigerian Christians and non-Fulani moderate Muslim populations, resulting in mass displacement and destruction of places of worship. Prominent Christian and Muslim leaders have been kidnapped or assassinated, including priests, pastors, and imams who advocate for religious tolerance. Religious leaders such as Father Remigius Iyhula and Bishop Wilfred Anagbe, who testified before the House Foreign Affairs Committee on March 12, 2025, have faced intimidation and threats from both extremist groups and government authorities.”
Supporters of the measure argued that redesignating Nigeria as a CPC would strengthen US diplomatic leverage to press Abuja for accountability and protection of religious minorities. They added that the US should condition future assistance to Nigeria on measurable human-rights improvements. The resolution further urged Washington to impose sanctions, including visa bans and asset freezes, under the Global Magnitsky framework on those responsible for severe religious freedom violations.
“The United States, through the Department of State and Department of Treasury, should impose targeted sanctions… on individuals and entities responsible for severe violations of religious freedom in Nigeria, including sanctions against Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria and Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore,” it stated. “Fulani-ethnic militias operating in Benue and Plateau States should also be placed on the Entities of Particular Concern List under the International Religious Freedom Act.”
The resolution was referred to the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Judiciary Committee for further review. If approved, it could pave the way for legislative or executive enforcement measures. Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, rejected the US designation, describing it as “based on misrepresentation and misinformation.”
Speaking in Abuja on Wednesday, Idris said terrorism and violent crimes in Nigeria affect citizens regardless of religion. “Nigeria faces long-standing security challenges that have impacted Christians and Muslims alike. Any narrative suggesting that the Nigerian state is failing to act against religious attacks is based on misinformation or faulty data,” he said.
Source: https://punchng.com/
