As part of its response to Nigeria’s alleged violations, the United States Congress is considering a bill that would impose severe sanctions on Governors, public officials, and non-state actors.
The bill, sponsored by Republican Senator Ted Cruz, has passed second reading and been referred to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations for further consideration.
The draft legislation, S. 2747, dated September 9, 2025, is titled ‘Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025.’
It builds directly on House Resolution 594, a companion motion in the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and which is co-sponsored by 18 Republican Party lawmakers.
The bill cites data from Open Doors’ World Watch List 2025, stating that “More than 380m Christians suffer high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith,” and that Nigeria continues to account for the majority of global faith-based killings. According to Open Doors’ 2024 data, 82 per cent of the 4,998 Christians killed worldwide in 2023 were Nigerian.
Also referenced in the bill’s fact sheet are findings by Vatican News and Genocide Watch, showing that between 2009 and 2023 over 52,000 Christians—and at least 34,000 moderate Muslims—were killed in faith-based attacks led by Islamist extremists in Nigeria, while about five million people were displaced.
It directs the US Secretary of State to designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) under the International Religious Freedom Act, impose specific sanctions, and take other related measures, citing what he described as “the world’s deadliest persecution of Christians.”
The Republican senator for the State of Texas said he wants the bill to move forward “expeditiously” stating that “Religious persecution and violence against Christians and other religious minorities in Nigeria is endemic, driven in significant part by Islamist jihadism and institutionalized sharia law in large parts of the country.”
The proposed legislation also targets terrorist groups and individuals implementing or supporting Islamic laws in the country.
Under the draft law, penalties would extend to judges, magistrates, prison officials, and other judicial or law enforcement officers found complicit in terrorism, corruption, or the enforcement of blasphemy laws.
It specifically includes anyone responsible for prosecuting, convicting, imprisoning, or otherwise depriving individuals of their liberty on charges of blasphemy.
At a recent hearing before the US House Sub-Committee on Africa, Nigerian faith leaders and diaspora witnesses delivered written testimonies describing entire rural communities in Plateau, Benue, and Southern Kaduna states as “living under nightly siege.”
Representatives of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Intersociety, a civil rights group, said attacks by “non-state armed actors” are often dismissed as “banditry” but, under US law, meet the Title 22 definition of terrorism—acts of violence against non-combatants for ideological or political ends.
Here’s a snippet of the bill:
1. The Bill designates Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern,” naming Boko Haram & ISIS as extremist threats.
It targets Nigerian officials: Governors, judges, police, who enforce blasphemy laws or ignore religious violence, with sanctions.
2. Within 90 days, and yearly, the U.S. must publish a list of those linked to religious killings since 2015.
3. Nigeria stays on the CPC list unless blasphemy laws are repealed & extremist groups neutralised. It means 12 northern states: Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Niger, Sokoto, Zamfara and Yobe – must amend or repeal such laws or face continued designation and possible targeted sanctions.
If enacted, Cruz’s bill would require the State Department to re-impose consequences and restrict certain defence and economic cooperation programmes with Nigeria until “credible progress” is shown in preventing anti-Christian killings.
How a bill becomes law:
1. Introduction in the Senate by a member
2. Referral to a committee — in this case, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee — for review, debate, and possible amendment.
3. Full Senate vote once it clears the committee.
4. Companion approval by the House of Representatives.
5. Reconciliation of both versions into one final text.
6. Submission to the President for signature or veto.
7. If the president signs it, the measure becomes federal law. If he vetoes it, Congress can override the veto with a two-thirds vote in both houses.
There’s a high probability of passage of this bill. The Senate now counts 52 Republican seats, with the House holding a similarly conservative majority—simply put, Republicans have most seats.
