United States Senator Ted Cruz has urged the White House to impose sanctions on Nigerian government officials and 12 states enforcing Sharia and blasphemy laws, which he says are being used to persecute Christians in the country.
Cruz praised President Donald Trump for restoring Nigeria’s designation as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), a label removed under the Biden administration.
He recalled that Trump first placed Nigeria on the CPC list during his earlier term but said the Biden government reversed the decision, weakening pressure on Nigerian authorities.
“Unfortunately, Joe Biden came into office and immediately removed Nigeria from the list, removed pressure, removed sanctions, and essentially turned a blind eye while radical Islamic terrorists slaughtered Christians in Nigeria,” Cruz said.
He explained that following Trump’s reelection, he pushed for Nigeria to be redesignated, describing last Friday’s decision as “the right thing to do.”
Cruz also announced that he has introduced legislation to sanction officials accused of aiding or ignoring violence against Christians.
“I have introduced legislation that would impose targeted sanctions on officials who look the other way or facilitate this mass slaughter.
“Specifically, 12 state governments enforce Sharia and blasphemy laws, and the federal government also criminalizes blasphemy nationwide,” he stated.
According to him, these laws are being used to “persecute Christians,” and those enforcing them are “complicit in mass murder.”
Cruz urged the U.S. government to apply strong diplomatic and economic pressure:
“I am urging the White House to use our sanctioning tools to target and incentivize these officials to stop the mass killings happening in Nigeria.”
If adopted, the sanctions could include visa restrictions, asset freezes, and financial penalties for implicated officials.
