By Ayo Kehinde
The United States House of Representatives has introduced a resolution urging 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 and intolerance in Nigeria.
The resolution, filed as H. Res. 860 in the 119th Congress, was sponsored by Representative Christopher Smith, with Representative Paul Huizenga as co-sponsor.
According to a document obtained from the official US Congress website on Thursday, sponsors of the bill said the move is a direct response to “persistent and grave violations of religious liberty”, as well as “a failure by Nigerian authorities to prevent and prosecute violent attacks on Christian and moderate Muslim communities.”
The lawmakers urged the US government to “use all available diplomatic and financial tools” to hold accountable those involved in or complicit with such abuses.
The resolution commended President Donald Trump for recently redesignating Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern (CPC)”, a classification reserved for nations that engage in or tolerate severe violations of religious freedom.
Trump’s declaration, made over the weekend on Truth Social, came with a threat of possible military intervention if Nigeria fails to halt what he called the “systematic killing of Christians.”
The lawmakers lamented the “aggravated persecution of Christians and other religious minorities”, detailing findings from human rights groups, NGOs, and independent media documenting “large-scale attacks on civilians, forced displacement, and the destruction of worship centres.”
“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”, the resolution stated, adding that such violence has “resulted in mass displacement and the destruction of churches, mosques, and schools.”
It also cited several instances of targeted killings and kidnappings of clerics.
“Prominent Christian and Muslim leaders have been kidnapped or assassinated, including priests, pastors, and imams who advocate for religious tolerance”, the lawmakers noted.
The resolution references Father Remigius Iyhula and Bishop Wilfred Anagbe, who testified before the House Foreign Affairs Committee on March 12, 2025, detailing persecution and targeted killings of Christians in Nigeria’s Middle Belt region. Both clerics, according to the document, “faced intimidation, threats, and harassment from extremist groups and government authorities” following their testimonies.
Supporters of the bill argue that Nigeria’s CPC status will strengthen America’s diplomatic leverage to pressure the Nigerian government to protect religious minorities and ensure justice for victims of extremist violence.
“The designation of Nigeria as a CPC will enhance diplomatic efforts to encourage the Nigerian government to uphold fundamental human rights”, the sponsors said.
They further urged the Trump administration to ensure the Treasury Department uses its sanction powers to freeze assets and deny visas to those linked with religious persecution or terror financing in Nigeria.
“Impunity emboldens violence. Accountability will deter further atrocities”, Rep. Smith emphasised.
