US Lawmakers Move to Sanction Persecutors of Christians in Nigeria
A new bill before the United States Congress is drawing attention to persistent attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria.
The proposed law seeks stronger action against individuals and groups accused of religiously motivated violence.
The legislation was introduced by US Congressman Riley Moore in collaboration with Chris Smith.
It is titled the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026. The bill focuses on accountability for human rights violations and religious persecution.
Speaking during an interview on NewsMax, Moore explained the motivation behind the proposal. He said the bill was designed to directly confront the sustained violence against Christians in Nigeria.
Moore stated, “I introduced the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026 with Rep. Chris Smith to confront the brutal persecution of Christians in Nigeria.”
He added that the legislation places emphasis on identifying and addressing those responsible for the attacks.
According to him, “This Bill, what is really important aspect of it is it’s focusing on looking at some of the bad actors there, specifically the Fulani, the Islamic group that’s been going around terrorizing Christians within Nigeria.”
The bill also provides room for punitive measures. Moore explained that, “The Bill will also give the administration of President Donald Trump the ability to sanction those individuals and then also report back to Congress on it.”
He further linked the proposed action to the broader foreign policy stance of Donald Trump. Moore said the president has shown strong interest in protecting persecuted Christian populations.
In his words, “As you know, the President has been very focused on protecting Christian populations in Nigeria that are suffering persecution at a scale which has never really been seen on the continent of Africa as it relates to Christians specifically.”
Beyond armed groups, the bill reportedly mentions possible sanctions against political figures, including former Kano State governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, as part of its accountability framework.
