By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Lawmakers in the United States have initiated the process of enacting a law aimed at improving religious freedom, accountability and human rights protection in Nigeria, including potential sanctions against armed groups and a former governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso.
“Today, I am proud to introduce the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026 with Rep. Chris Smith,” US Representative Riley Moore stated.
The proposed legislation seeks to strengthen the impact of previous US actions in Nigeria, the lawmakers stated.
Moore, a member of the Republican party, emphasised the US commitment to global religious freedom, adding, “The U.S. is a Christian nation. As such, we must stand with persecuted Christians around the world.”
“Our legislation will build upon the momentum of President Trump designating Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern and the recent US-Nigeria security framework agreement,” he said, referencing past measures targeting religious persecution and security cooperation.
Sean Nelson, Senior Counsel for Global Religious Freedom, praised the bipartisan effort, noting, “Powerhouse team of Rep. Chris Smith & Rep Riley Moore today introduced a new bill on religious freedom in Nigeria increasing accountability measures, incl recs for sanctions against Fulani militias and former Kano State gov Kwankwaso, who intro’d Sharia criminal law there.”
The bill specifically recommends sanctions against armed groups accused of perpetrating violence and government officials who have initiated policies that critics say infringe on religious freedoms.
The Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026 is expected to undergo committee review in the US House of Representatives, with promoters urging quick consideration given the urgency of ongoing religious freedom concerns.
In December, United States had carried out an air strike against ISIS fighters in Sokoto, Northwest Nigeria. US President Donald Trump claimed that the armed group had “targeted and viciously” killed “primarily, innocent Christians, at levels not seen for many years, and even Centuries!”
Nigeria’s Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar confirmed the US attack, saying it was coordinated with the Nigerian government.
Nigerian government has dismissed Trump’s assertions on attacks targeting Christians, saying armed groups target both Muslim and Christian communities.
Earlier, the top general of US Africa Command, General Dagvin R.M. Anderson said that the United States has deployed a small contingent of military officers to Nigeria, a development which followed a meeting with Nigerian President Bola Tinubu in Rome late last year, pointing to a shared assessment that more needed to be done to address “the terrorist threat in West Africa.”
“That has led to increased collaboration between our nations, to include a small US team that brings some unique capabilities from the United States in order to augment what Nigeria has been doing for several years,” Anderson said last week.
