A new bill introduced in the United States Congress has called for sanctions against Nigerian individuals and groups accused of serious violations of religious freedom, specifically naming the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) and Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore.The proposed legislation, sponsored by Representative Christopher Smith, seeks visa bans and asset freezes on members of the listed organizations. Smith also commended former President Donald Trump for re-designating Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) under U.S. law.
The bill further lists Fulani-ethnic militias operating in Benue and Plateau States as Entities of Particular Concern (EPC) — a classification typically reserved for non-state actors involved in severe religious freedom abuses. Other groups previously listed as EPCs include Boko Haram, ISIS-West Africa, ISIS-Sahel, the Taliban, and the Houthis.
On the same day, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz renewed his criticism of the Nigerian government, pledging to hold officials accountable for what he described as evidence of a Christian genocide. Cruz, who earlier proposed the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025, said he would soon release the names of Nigerian officials allegedly complicit in religious persecution.
The Nigerian government has repeatedly dismissed such claims, maintaining that the country’s security challenges stem from criminality and terrorism, not religious conflict.
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