A bill introduced in the United States Congress has proposed visa bans and asset freezes against members of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) and the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore over allegations of religious persecution in Nigeria.
The legislation, sponsored by US Representative Smith Christopher, follows President Donald Trump’s recent decision to re-designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for violations of religious freedom.
According to the bill, the proposed sanctions target individuals and groups “implicated in serious violations of religious freedom,” including restrictions on US entry and the freezing of financial assets.
Christopher commended President Trump for what he described as a decisive move to hold the Nigerian government accountable for “complicity in religious persecution” by extremist groups such as Boko Haram and “Fulani terrorists.”
The bill also lists the Fulani Ethnic Militias operating in Benue and Plateau States under the Entities of Particular Concern (EPC) category in line with the International Religious Freedom Act, which applies to non-state actors engaged in severe violations of religious freedom.
Additionally, the legislation calls for direct US humanitarian aid to faith-based groups supporting internally displaced persons in Nigeria’s Middle Belt. It further proposes that American foreign assistance, including health-related funding, be tied to Nigeria’s efforts to curb religious persecution and uphold constitutional protections for freedom of worship.
The bill urges the Nigerian government to take concrete steps to prevent religiously motivated violence, prosecute offenders, and protect displaced communities affected by attacks.
The proposal was introduced on the same day US Senator Ted Cruz unveiled the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025, aimed at safeguarding Christians and other religious minorities in the country.
President Trump had earlier warned of potential US military intervention if Nigeria fails to halt attacks on Christians, a threat that has drawn strong reactions from Nigerian leaders.
