Alleged Christian Genocide: US Parliament Debates Bill to Freeze Kwankwaso Assets, Designates Miyetti Allah As Terrorists Group, Review Nigeria Sharia Law
The new bill seeks to require the US Secretary of State to impose a visa ban on Mr Kwankwaso, freeze his assets, and implement other targeted sanctions against him.
Two American lawmakers have introduced a bill to the US Congress, seeking to impose sanctions on Rabiu Kwankwaso, former Kano governor, for alleged violations of religious freedom.
The bill identifies Mr Kwankwaso, a former senator, defence minister, and presidential candidate, as one of the individuals contributing to systemic religious “persecution of Christians that has persisted” in Nigeria, furthering a narrative its sponsors claim, but which has been disputed by local and international observers.
The new bill seeks to require the US Secretary of State to impose a visa ban on Mr Kwankwaso, freeze his assets, and implement other targeted sanctions against him.
The proposed sanctions in the bill titled “Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026” also target Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, and the Fulani-ethnic nomad militias in Nigeria.
The bill was sponsored by two republican lawmakers, who have repeatedly pushed the Christian genocide narrative against Nigeria, Riley Moore and Chris Smith.
The Republicans said the former governor and the named associations must be investigated for providing support to Fulani-ethnic militias who carry out violence and must be held accountable.
The bill states that the Fulani militant group, alongside other extremist organisations operating in Nigeria, have been engaged in organised attacks on civilian communities, particularly in the Middle Belt region.
It said the repeated acts of violence “meet the statutory definition of terrorist activity under section 212(a)(3) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(3)).”
“These militias have conducted attacks involving targeted killings, hostage-taking, hijackings, armed assaults, massacres of civilians, destruction of property, and forced displacement of local population.”
It recommended imposing sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Act, an American law that authorises the US government to target foreign individuals or entities involved in human rights abuses or corruption worldwide.
The bill would have to be passed in Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump for it to become law.
It is not clear why Mr Kwankwaso was included in the bill. He left office as the Kano governor in 2019 and has not held any major public office since then.
The bill also referenced data from the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), alleging that “between 50,000 and 125,000 Christians have been martyred between 2009 and 2025, with more than 19,000 Christian churches attacked or destroyed.”
The new bill also seeks to have Fulani ethnic militias designated as foreign terrorist organisations.
It also seeks to require that the Secretary of State provide an annual report on Christian persecution, and weigh whether US assistance in Nigeria encourages Christian persecution.
It states that the Nigerian government “should thoroughly investigate instances of penalties or imprisonment under blasphemy laws or Sharia law and work to end these practices and repeal such laws.”
It declares that religious violence and the actions of the militant groups in Nigeria are a threat to US national security and foreign policy interests.
It states that this “destabilises a strategically important region, jeopardises religious freedom rights, and exacerbates the threat environment facing West Africa.”
Mr Moore said that the 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.”
“The US is a Christian nation. As such, we must stand with persecuted Christians around the world,” he wrote.
The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders have rejected their inclusion in the United States list of religious freedom violators in Nigeria.
Reacting to the development during an interview with Punch, the National President of Miyetti Allah, Baba Ngelzarma, described the allegations as unfounded, insisting the association is not a terrorist organisation.
Also, The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has kicked against the move to blacklist Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
Reacting to the proposal to slam visa ban on its leader and freeze his assets on account of “severe religious freedom violations,” the party demanded that Kwankwaso should be cleared.
Responding to the reports, the NNPP National Publicity Secretary, Ladipo Johnson, dismissed any notion that Kwankwaso has been responsible in any way for religious freedom violations.
Alleged Christian Genocide: US Parliament Debates Bill to Freeze Kwankwaso Assets, Designates Miyetti Allah As Terrorists Group, Review Nigeria Sharia Law
Byadmin
Feb 12, 2026