Wetin be di details of di bill US lawmakers present for Congress ontop Nigeria security mata
Wia dis foto come from, Nigeria Presidency/X
- Author, Annette Arotiba
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Republican lawmakers for di US House of Representatives don introduce one bill wey call on di Secretary of State to consider labelling Fulani ethnic militias as Foreign Terrorist Organization.
Di bill also want make di US govment impose targeted sanctions, wey include visa bans and asset freeze on individuals and pipo and companies wey dem claim say dey responsible for severe religious freedom violations for Nigeria.
For di sanctions, dem name one former Presidential candidate and former Kano state govnor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore and Fulani-ethnic nomad militias for Nigeria.
Di bill also call for di review of sanctioned individuals plus to assess if US assistance to Nigeria fit dey contribute to religious persecution.
Di proposed legislation, titled di Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026 (HR 7457) aim na to increase American action on top wetin dem describe as religious persecution and mass atrocities for Nigeria.
E go require di US Secretary of State to submit one annual report to congressional foreign affairs committees on efforts to address di persecution of Christians for Nigeria.
As of di time of dis report, Kwankwaso or di groups neva comment on di allegations wey dey inside di proposed legislation.
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Wetin dey inside di bill
Wia dis foto come from, Boko Haram
Di bill wey US lawmakers Riley Moore and Chris Smith, di Chairman of di House Foreign Affairs Africa Subcommittee, plus some leading lawmakers for Nigeria put togeda dey come for di wake of US govment interest on wetin dem term Christians persecution for Nigeria.
Nigeria account for 72 percent of all Christians martyred worldwide, according to Open Doors' 2026 Watch List, di bill tok.
Approximately 3.5 to 5 million Nigerians dey internally displaced, and more dan 343,000 dey for refugees for di Lake Chad region, e add.
According to di bill, since at least 2009, Boko Haram, di Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), Fulani militant groups, plus oda extremist organizations don carry out systemic religious persecution for Nigeria wey don lead to di death of about 50,000 to 125,000 Christians, plus di destruction of more dan 19,000 churches.
"For years, Christians in Nigeria don face unspeakable violence—churches burned, villages destroyed, families slaughtered—while di global community look away. As part of di investigation President Trump ask to lead, I bin visit Nigeria and witness first hand di horrors wey our brothers and sisters in Christ dey face and I see di security challenges Nigeria faces," US lawmaker Riley Moore tok.
Di bill also claim say, "Fulani-ethnic militias for Nigeria—wey include networks of armed groups don engage for organized attacks on civilian communities, dem don carry out repeated acts of violence wey meet di statutory definition of terrorist activity under section 212(a)(3) of di Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(3))."
Di Nigerian govment don deny Christian genocide dey di kontri, instead dem say na all religious faiths dey suffer persecution from extremists.
Wetin di bill dey propose:
- Part of wetin di bill dey seek na say make US use all available diplomatic, humanitarian, economic, and security tools to pressure Nigeria govment to end impunity for perpetrators of mass atrocities and religious persecution for di kontri
- Protection of Christian communities, clergy, plus oda targeted religious minorities
- Ensure say freedom of religion dey protected by evri level of govment, repeal blasphemy laws and release prisoners wey dey for detention sake of dia faith
- Make di US along wit Nigeria govment deliver humanitarian assistance to Nigeria middle belt states
- US govment to impose targeted sanctions wey include visa bans and asset freezes under di Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, on individuals or entities responsible for severe religious freedom violations, or report to Congress reasons why dem neva impose di sanctions
- Make di Secretary of State work wit Nigeria govment to fight hostile foreign exploitation of Chinese illegal mining operations plus stop dia practice of paying protection money to Fulani militias.
Di proposal must pass both chambers of Congress bifor e fit bicom law.
US send 200 troops to Nigeria
Di bill dey come as di US announce say dem dey send 200 troops to Nigeria to train di kontri military for di fight against Islamist militants, officials tok.
Di troops go provide training and technical support but no go take part in combat.
Dem dey expected to land Nigeria in di coming weeks and go join one previously announced small team wey already dey on ground.
One tok-tok pesin for di Nigerian military, General Samaila Uba, bin confam di deployment to BBC on Wednesday morning.
E say dem dey come "at di request and invitation of govment of Nigeria" and consistent wit di recommendations of di US-Nigeria Joint Working Group.
E confam say di United States don already deploy technical and training personnel to provide advisory support for various locations across Nigeria.
General Uba say troops "no dey serve for inside combat capacity and dem no go assume direct operational role."
"Nigerian forces retain full command authority, make all operational decisions and go lead all missions on Nigerian sovereign territory," e add.
Di developments follow pressure from di White House, wey say Nigeria need to do more to protect vulnerable groups, including Christian communities.
US officials don also express concern about militant activity for di wider Sahel region, wey include attacks by Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province.
