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.
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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.
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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.
Bill quotes false data
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.”
But multiple investigations have shown that the Intersociety data, which had been floated by US officials, including Mr Moore and Mr Smith, since 2025, is questionable.
A BBC investigation, last November, revealed that the methodology used to obtain the numbers was opaque.
InterSociety did not provide detailed evidence or references to support the figures it reported.
It did not provide an itemised list of sources. Dated reports were rolled into new totals, and there was no clear breakdown of how deaths were counted by religion, region, or actor.
The BBC reported that when the organisation was asked to provide verifiable evidence, it either declined or responded with broad summaries.
A New York Times investigation published earlier this year revealed that the organisation is owned and run by a Nigerian named Emeka Umeagbalasi, who confirmed he did not verify the data.
The US bill also highlights the use of blasphemy laws to attack dissents as a primary example of religious intolerance in Nigeria.
It cited the murder of Deborah Yakubu, a student of Shagari College of Education in Sokoto, who was stoned to death by a mob of fellow students for allegedly making blasphemous statements in 2022, and Rhoda Jatau in Bauchi, who was arrested and jailed for 18 months for criticising Deborah’s murder.
It also mentioned the case of Yahaya Sharif-Amin, a Sufi Muslim musician from Kano, sentenced to death by hanging in 2020 by a Sharia court for sharing blasphemous song lyrics on WhatsApp.
“The Nigerian Government routinely denies that religious persecution exists and has failed to adequately intervene, including on early warning notifications of upcoming attacks, including the October 14, 2025, Plateau State massacre,” a part of the bill read.
Bill to label Fulani militias terrorists
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.
Moore’s false narrative
PREMIUM TIMES reports that last year, Mr Moore repeatedly pushed the Christian genocide narrative against Nigeria, and criticised the government for failing to protect the country’s Christians.
His claims preceded Donald Trump’s designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) and may have influenced that decision.
He also insisted on his claims despite the Nigerian government and local and international organisations saying different factors caused the insecurity in Nigeria, and that it could not be tagged a genocide against any group or religion.
In September, Mr Moore wrote to the Secretary of State demanding that the US use every diplomatic tool to stop what he described as the “slaughter of Christians.”
This tool included designating the country as a CPC and suspending arms sales and technical support to it.
“Muslim extremist groups such as ISIS-West Africa, Ansaru, and Boko Haram are major perpetrators. Just last week, Boko Haram ravaged Kirawa, Nigeria, displacing thousands. But just as concerning are reports that corrupt cells of the Nigerian government may be complicit,” he stated in his letter.
Previous US bill on Christian genocide
Meanwhile, Mr Smith had previously introduced a bill that identifies the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) and the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore as entities to be sanctioned.
PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that some Nigerians have accused both organisations in the past of masterminding some attacks by armed herders on rural communities. However, the groups have denied such allegations and instead said their members, who are cattle herders, were being attacked in different states.
Mr Moore, during his last visit to Nigeria, described his conversation with the Nigerian National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, as “productive and positive.”
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Meanwhile, US engagement and military collaboration with Nigeria have since gained momentum. Most recently, the US military disclosed that a small team of US forces has been dispatched to Nigeria.
The Defence Headquarters also confirmed this while clarifying that engagements with the US are conducted within existing bilateral frameworks and in “full respect of Nigeria’s sovereignty.”
Nigeria currently faces various forms of violence, including Boko Haram terrorism in the North-east, banditry in the North-west, herders-farmers violence in the North-central and separatist attacks in the South-east.
