…US lawmakers, however, insist that targeted sanctions including visa bans and asset freezes are necessary to compel stronger action from Nigerian authorities
ABUJA, NIGERIA- The iNews Times | The decision by the United States Congress to push for the designation of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) and Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore as foreign terrorist organisations, alongside a proposed visa ban on former Kano State Governor, Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has stirred concern across northern Nigeria.
The move is contained in a bill titled Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026, introduced by Congressman Chris Smith and co-sponsored by Representatives Moore, Mast and Huizenga. The legislation calls on the United States Secretary of State to consider designating Fulani-ethnic militias operating in Nigeria as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs), while also recommending sanctions, including visa restrictions and asset freezes, against individuals and groups allegedly linked to religious persecution.
Lawmakers behind the bill argued that escalating violence in Nigeria poses a threat to regional stability and United States strategic interests in West Africa. They urged the Departments of State and Treasury to deploy the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act against anyone found culpable in severe violations of religious freedom. The proposal also seeks investigations into local and international networks suspected of financing militia activities.
The bill paints a grim picture of sustained religious violence in Nigeria since 2009, citing atrocities attributed to Boko Haram, ISWAP and Fulani militant groups. These include killings, kidnappings, sexual violence, destruction of communities and mass displacement. Congressional findings referenced in the legislation estimate that between 50,000 and 125,000 Christians were killed between 2009 and 2025, with over 19,000 churches attacked or destroyed.
Particular attention was drawn to attacks in Benue and Plateau states between 2023 and 2025, which lawmakers claim left more than 9,500 people dead and displaced over 500,000 others. The bill maintains that such acts meet the legal definition of terrorism under United States law.
The proposed law also criticises the Nigerian government, accusing authorities of failing to prosecute offenders, ignoring early warnings and downplaying the religious dimension of the violence. It highlights the enforcement of blasphemy laws in 12 northern states and references cases such as that of Sunday Jackson, who was sentenced to death in 2021 after defending himself against an armed herder but later pardoned in 2025.
In addition, the legislation backs the designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) over religious freedom violations, a status first assigned in 2020, removed in 2021 and reinstated in October 2025. Lawmakers contend that Nigeria’s earlier removal from the CPC list coincided with increased religiously motivated killings.
The bill includes strict reporting requirements, mandating the United States Secretary of State to submit detailed updates to Congress within 90 days of enactment and annually thereafter, covering Nigeria’s compliance with religious freedom standards, prosecution of offenders, humanitarian assistance and the condition of internally displaced persons.
While urging sanctions, the lawmakers also called for coordinated diplomatic engagement with international partners and recommended that United State assistance be channelled through trusted faith-based and non-governmental organisations operating in Nigeria’s Middle Belt.
Reacting to the development, MACBAN firmly rejected the proposed terrorist designation. Its President, Baba Othman, described the move as unfair and unjustified, insisting that the association has operated lawfully in Nigeria for over four decades without involvement in criminal activities. He maintained that MACBAN remains a legitimate umbrella body for herders across religious and ethnic lines and vowed to seek diplomatic intervention from the Federal Government to address the issue.
Similarly, a member of the Kwankwasiyya Movement’s media team, Dr. Nazif Umar, confirmed that the group was reviewing the proposed sanctions against Kwankwaso. He said a formal response would be issued after consultation with the former governor.
United State lawmakers, however, insist that targeted sanctions including visa bans and asset freezes are necessary to compel stronger action from Nigerian authorities against what they describe as persistent and targeted attacks on Christians and other religious minorities.
As debates intensify, the proposed legislation signals a potentially significant shift in United States-Nigeria relations, with broader implications for diplomacy, security cooperation and regional stability in West Africa.
