A brewing diplomatic crisis between Nigeria and the United States has placed 12 northern state governors, influential traditional rulers, and senior judicial officers in the eye of the storm, as the US Congress deliberates a bill that could slap targeted sanctions on them for purported complicity in what American legislators term a “Christian genocide” and widespread persecution linked to Sharia and blasphemy laws.
The proposed Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025, sponsored by Republican Senator Ted Cruz and introduced on September 9, seeks to designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for religious freedom violations. If enacted, it would mandate the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, to submit within 90 days a report to Congress identifying Nigerian officials—including governors, judges, and monarchs—who have “promoted, enacted, or maintained blasphemy laws” or “tolerated violence by non-state actors invoking religious justification.”
Sanctions under Executive Order 13818, part of the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability framework, could include visa bans, asset freezes, and financial restrictions on those listed.
The bill’s momentum follows US President Donald Trump’s recent designation of Nigeria as a CPC and his directive to Rubio for swift action. In a post on Truth Social last Friday, Trump decried the killing of “thousands of Christians” in Nigeria, urging Congressman Riley Moore, House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole, and the panel to investigate urgently and report back.
Senator Cruz, defending the legislation, accused Nigeria’s leadership of “institutionalising Sharia law and enabling jihadist violence.” He cited statistics claiming over 52,000 Christians murdered, 20,000 churches and faith institutions destroyed, and dozens of villages razed since 2009, asserting that federal and state governments have “failed to act, and in many cases, they are complicit.”
This marks the second US CPC designation for Nigeria, the first occurring in December 2020 under the State Department for “systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom,” amid Boko Haram attacks and ethno-religious conflicts aggravated by the judiciary.
## Sharia’s Expansion and Controversies
Central to the bill is the implementation of Sharia in northern Nigeria, which it equates with blasphemy laws deemed hostile to Christians. Sharia, rooted in Islamic jurisprudence, has historically governed personal, moral, and communal matters among Muslim communities in the north.
The pivotal shift came in 1999-2000, post-civilian rule, when Zamfara State under Governor Ahmad Sani Yerima extended Sharia to criminal law and public morality. Within two years, 12 states followed suit, establishing parallel Sharia courts alongside secular ones: Zamfara, Kano, Sokoto, Katsina, Bauchi, Borno, Jigawa, Kebbi, Yobe, Kaduna, Niger, and Gombe.
States like Kwara, Kogi, Plateau, Benue, Nasarawa, Taraba, and Adamawa, despite sizeable Muslim populations, confine Sharia to personal status issues—marriage, inheritance, and family matters—for Muslims only.
The bill notes that since Zamfara’s 2000 adoption during former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s tenure, nearly all 19 northern states incorporated blasphemy provisions. States such as Kano, Bauchi, Sokoto, and Katsina have faced international condemnation for blasphemy-related death sentences.
Recent tensions arose when the Sharia Council announced arbitration panels in southern Oyo and Ogun states for Muslim disputes, sparking clashes before clarification that these were non-binding mediation bodies, not courts.
Critics highlight human rights concerns: restrictions on non-Muslim worship, church construction, and festivals; persecution of Islamic converts to Christianity; and vague blasphemy laws enabling mob violence. High-profile cases include the 2022 lynching and burning of Deborah Samuel, a Sokoto college student; butcher Usman Buda’s mob killing in Sokoto; a Bauchi water vendor’s 2021 death; and 74-year-old Bridget Agbahime’s 2016 murder in Kano—all over alleged blasphemy, with perpetrators often evading justice.
## Trump’s Threats and US Preparedness
Trump warned of halting all US aid to Nigeria and potential military intervention if the Tinubu administration fails to curb alleged Christian persecution. “If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the USA will immediately stop all aid… and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’” he posted, instructing the Department of War to prepare.
US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth echoed this on X Sunday: “The Department of War is preparing for action. Either the Nigerian Government protects Christians, or we will kill the Islamic Terrorists…”
The bill would also designate Boko Haram and ISIS-West Africa as Entities of Particular Concern.
## Federal Government Pushes Back
The Federal Government robustly defended Nigeria’s framework in a Ministry of Foreign Affairs policy note, “Nigeria’s Constitutional Commitment to Religious Freedom and Rule of Law.” It emphasised the 1999 Constitution’s bans on state religion (Section 10), guarantees of religious freedom (Section 38), and anti-discrimination provisions (Section 42).
“Sharia in Nigeria is not a nationwide, compulsory system,” it stated, applying only to professing Muslims in select states, with non-Muslims exempt. It rejected persecution claims, framing violence as terrorism, crime, resource disputes, or climate-related, not purely religious.
The government highlighted proscriptions of Boko Haram and ISWAP, thousands of arrests, prosecutions, and deradicalisation efforts, plus unbiased joint operations. It slammed the bill as “legally and factually flawed,” conflating distinct legal regimes and mischaracterising public-order laws.
Nigeria reaffirmed commitments to international pacts like the ICCPR and African Charter, enforceable domestically, with courts upholding supremacy.
## Presidency, Diplomats, and Stakeholders Respond
Presidential aide Daniel Bwala announced an impending Tinubu-Trump meeting to discuss counterterrorism and clarify attack narratives. “Both leaders have shared interests in the fight against insurgency,” he posted on X.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, said Tinubu anticipated “orchestrated moves” against Nigeria, quoting his charge to new service chiefs: “We must smash the new snakes right in the head.”
Retired diplomats warned of fallout. Former Ambassador Mohammed Mabdul foresaw reduced US aid in health, education, and gender programmes; curtailed arms sales and intelligence sharing; and strained ties under Tinubu’s Europe/Middle East-focused engagements.
Ogbole Amedu-Ode called it a “wake-up call” for protecting lives, predicting investment dips but possible fills by emerging economies, plus international isolation.
Ambassador Godknows Igali advocated third-country mediation and caution with Trump’s “strong views.” Analyst Charles Onunaiju urged factual rebuttals and reforms over hostility.
Former Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso advocated US tech aid against threats, not divisive labels, and urged envoy deployments for dialogue.
The National Youth Council of Nigeria condemned Trump’s war threat as “an abomination.”
Christian Association of Nigeria (Northern CAN) Chairman Rev. John Hayab blamed leadership inaction, seeing Trump’s warning as a chance for decisive anti-violence measures.
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) Director Prof. Ishaq Akintola viewed threats as anti-terrorist, welcoming strikes on Boko Haram/ISWAP but warning against civilian/Muslim targeting as “religious aggression.” He urged calm and diplomacy.
A former US mayor, Mike Arnold, challenged Sultan of Sokoto Sa’ad Abubakar in an open letter over alleged jihadist links from his Pakistan posting and mineral looting. The Sultanate Council dismissed it as baseless, focusing on peace.
PDP chieftain Segun Showunmi warned of CPC-Magnitsky combo crippling Nigeria’s image and elites, urging urgent diplomacy.
As debates intensify, stakeholders call for unity, robust engagement, and internal reforms to avert escalation.
