New U.S. bill seeks visa ban, asset freezes for Nigeria’s Miyetti Allah, others

A new bill on the table at the United States Congress has proposed tough sanctions on some individuals and groups who have been accused of orchestrating severe violations of religious freedom in Nigeria. This comes as President Donald Trump ups the scrutiny of Nigeria’s human rights record and religious freedom.

The bill which was introduced on Tuesday by Christopher Smith, specifically named the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) and the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore as culpable entities.

The details of the bill recommend visa restrictions and asset freezes on members of the named groups and others allegedly linked to religiously motivated violence.

Smith, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, commended President Trump for redesignating Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) – a classification under the U.S. law reserved for nations that engage in or tolerate “particularly severe violations” of religious freedom.

In the bill, Smith also urged the U.S. government to classify “Fulani-Ethnic Militias” operating in Benue and Plateau States as Entities of Particular Concern (EPC) under the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA).

“EPCs refer to non-state actors that have been implicated in major violations of religious freedom. Other groups previously placed under this category include Boko Haram, ISIS-West Africa, ISIS-Sahel, the Houthis, and the Taliban”, he added.

The legislative move coincided with a separate statement from Ted Cruz (Senator) who renewed calls for accountability against Nigerian officials accused of turning a blind eye to alleged persecution of Christians. For months now, Cruz has championed the calls for scrutiny on the Nigerian government’s handling of killings across the country over the years.

Cruz had earlier, in October, introduced the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025, which proposed sanctions on federal and state officials who “promoted, enacted, or maintained Nigerian blasphemy laws” through policy, legislation, or executive directives.

“I intend to be very explicit about who they are in the coming days and weeks,” Cruz warned.

On the flip side, the Nigerian government has consistently dismissed such allegations as misguided and politically motivated, maintaining that religion is not the primary driver of the country’s complex security challenges.

Franktalk