The United States Congress has placed former Kano State governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and leaders of Miyetti Allah groups among those targeted for sweeping sanctions, including visa bans and asset freezes, over what American lawmakers described as their alleged roles in persecution and killings of Christians in northern Nigeria.
The draft legislation, titled the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026, was introduced on Tuesday by Rep. Chris Smith, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, with Rep. Riley Moore as co-sponsor. It urges the State and Treasury Departments to use the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act to impose targeted sanctions.
“The Department of State and the Department of Treasury should impose targeted sanctions, including visa bans and asset freezes, on individuals and entities responsible for severe religious violations,” the bill states.
Among those named as potential targets are “Fulani ethnic nomad militia, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, and Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore.”
The proposed measures come amid heightened diplomatic tension between Washington and Abuja over allegations of religious persecution. In 2025, former US President Donald Trump redesignated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern,” saying there was a “genocide” of Christians — a characterization that prompted fierce debate in Nigeria’s political and religious circles.
The bill cites several high-profile incidents, including the October 2025 killings in Plateau State and the case of Sunday Jackson, a farmer who spent nearly a decade in prison and was sentenced to death for killing a Fulani herder in what supporters described as self‑defence. Jackson was pardoned in 2025 after international pressure and US diplomatic intervention.
Beyond visa restrictions and asset freezes, the bill calls for a formal review of Fulani militias to determine whether they should be designated as foreign terrorist organizations. It also requests investigations into individuals and networks alleged to have sponsored armed groups linked to violence in northern Nigeria.
If enacted, the legislation could significantly strain relations between Nigeria and the United States at a time when security cooperation has expanded. In December, US forces reportedly conducted airstrikes in Sokoto targeting terrorist hideouts — an operation Nigeria’s First Lady, Remi Tinubu, described as “a blessing.” Washington has also announced plans to deploy about 200 American soldiers to support Nigeria’s counterterrorism operations.
There was no immediate response from Kwankwaso or officials of the Miyetti Allah groups. The Presidency had not issued an official statement as of press time.
The bill’s introduction signals increased US scrutiny of Nigeria’s handling of sectarian violence and conveys a message that Washington is prepared to escalate pressure on individuals it believes are complicit in religious bloodshed. Whether the measure will pass both chambers of Congress remains uncertain, but its sponsors say the aim is to compel stronger action from President Bola Tinubu’s administration to protect vulnerable communities and hold perpetrators accountable.
