Five members of the United States Congress have presented a bill that could lead to visa bans and asset freezes against the former Governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), and two other groups or individuals, over alleged attacks on Christians in Nigeria.

The proposed law, known as the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026, was introduced by Chris Smith, Riley Moore, Brian Mast, Mario Diaz-Balart and Bill Huizenga.

The bill seeks to hold certain persons and groups accountable for what the sponsors describe as serious violations of religious freedom.

If passed, the legislation would require the US Secretary of State to give regular reports to Congress on Nigeria’s record in protecting religious freedom and the steps taken to safeguard communities facing attacks.

It would also direct US authorities to consider sanctions, security cooperation plans and humanitarian support to address the violence and prevent further attacks.

The lawmakers referred to figures showing that between 2009 and 2025, between 50,000 and 125,000 Christians were killed in Nigeria, while more than 19,000 churches were destroyed.

They also mentioned deadly incidents in Yelwata, the Christmas Eve attacks of 2023 and 2024, and the Holy Week and Easter attacks of 2024 and 2025.

According to the sponsors, these incidents left over 9,500 people dead, most of them Christians, and forced more than 500,000 others to flee their homes.

They cited a 2026 Global Watchlist which states that Nigeria accounts for 72 per cent of Christians killed worldwide.

The bill also refers to cases such as Rhoda Jatau and Deborah Yakubu, who faced mob attacks, detention or death over allegations of blasphemy, while those responsible for the violence were rarely punished.

The sponsors said the US President, Donald Trump, redesignated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern due to religious freedom issues.

They argued that Nigerian authorities have often failed to stop religious violence or bring offenders to justice.

Under the proposal, the Secretary of State would assess whether some Fulani ethnic militias should be classified as Foreign Terrorist Organisations.

The US Departments of State and Treasury would also be expected to apply Global Magnitsky sanctions on individuals or groups found responsible for grave violations of religious freedom.

These measures could include visa restrictions and freezing of assets.

The legislation also recommended that the United States provide humanitarian aid, with financial support from the Nigerian government, through trusted civil society and faith-based groups operating in the Middle Belt region.

It called for cooperation with countries such as France, Hungary and the United Kingdom to support peace efforts and protect freedom of worship.

The lawmakers stated that future relations between the United States and Nigeria would depend on how the Nigerian government responds to the allegations of violence.

They added that Nigeria has the capacity to help stabilise the Sahel region and build stronger ties with Washington if it takes firm steps to stop attacks and protect vulnerable communities. (AFP)