Fresh tensions have emerged in US–Nigeria relations following a new bill in Washington seeking sanctions against individuals and groups accused of violating religious freedom in Nigeria.
The proposed legislation, titled the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026, was introduced on Tuesday by Congressman Riley Moore, a Republican representing West Virginia.
The bill is co-sponsored by Rep. Chris Smith of New Jersey and outlines a range of punitive and humanitarian measures.
At the heart of the proposal are targeted sanctions, including visa restrictions and asset freezes, against persons and entities allegedly linked to religious persecution.
Those named in the draft include former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Fulani-ethnic nomadic militias, and two prominent associations, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) and Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore.
According to the text of the bill, US authorities would invoke the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act to implement the sanctions.
Furthermore, it directs the Departments of State and Treasury to identify individuals or organisations deemed responsible for religious freedom violations.
Beyond sanctions, the bill mandates humanitarian intervention in Nigeria’s Middle Belt. Assistance, it states, should be delivered through “trusted faith-based and non-governmental organisations,” with funding support from both Washington and Abuja.
Moore defended the initiative in a public statement, arguing that the United States must take a firm stand.
“Our responsibility is to support communities facing persecution and hold perpetrators accountable,” he said.
He added that the legislation aligns with broader US policy aimed at protecting vulnerable populations.
Significantly, the bill also instructs the US Secretary of State to determine whether certain Fulani militias meet the criteria for designation as Foreign Terrorist Organisations under American law.
Such a classification would carry far-reaching legal and diplomatic consequences.
The move builds on earlier US actions. In late 2025, President Donald Trump re-designated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” over severe religious freedom violations.
The designation signals Washington’s assessment that systemic abuses are occurring, particularly against Christian communities.
However, Nigerian authorities have consistently rejected claims that the violence amounts to a religious war.
Officials in Abuja maintain that the crisis is rooted in complex factors, including banditry, insurgency, and competition over land and resources.
Moreover, security cooperation between the two nations has intensified in recent months.
In December 2025, US forces conducted coordinated airstrikes against Islamic State-linked militants operating in northwestern Nigeria, underscoring expanding counter-terrorism collaboration.
Analysts say the proposed bill, if passed, could reshape diplomatic engagement between Washington and Abuja.
While supporters frame it as a human rights intervention, critics warn it may strain bilateral ties at a delicate moment.
As debate unfolds in Congress, attention will likely focus on whether the sanctions proposal gains bipartisan momentum, and how Nigeria responds to what could become one of the most consequential US legislative actions targeting the country in recent years.