Visa Ban Threat: US Congress Moves to Sanction Kwankwaso Over Religious Rights Violations

The United States has proposed targeted sanctions, including visa restrictions and asset freezes, against individuals and groups accused of violating religious freedom in Nigeria, under a newly introduced bill titled the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026.

US Congressman Riley Moore of West Virginia announced the bill on Tuesday, noting that it is co-sponsored by Congressman Chris Smith of New Jersey.

The proposed legislation names former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, as well as Fulani nomadic militias and groups such as the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) and Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, as entities that could face sanctions if found responsible for religious freedom abuses.

The bill calls on the US Departments of State and Treasury to impose penalties under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, including visa bans and financial sanctions on individuals or organisations linked to such violations. It also recommends that humanitarian assistance, co-funded by Nigeria, be delivered through trusted faith-based and non-governmental organisations operating in the country’s Middle Belt region.

In addition, the legislation directs the US Secretary of State to determine whether certain Fulani militias should be designated as foreign terrorist organisations under American law.

Announcing the bill, Moore said the United States has a responsibility to defend persecuted Christians and other vulnerable communities worldwide, adding that the proposal builds on President Donald Trump’s earlier decision to classify Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern over religious freedom issues, as well as recent US–Nigeria security cooperation agreements.

Religious freedom tensions in Nigeria have intensified amid ongoing violence by armed groups in the Middle Belt and northern regions. In late 2025, the Trump administration again designated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern, citing allegations of systematic attacks on communities, particularly Christian populations—claims that the Nigerian government has strongly rejected, insisting the crisis is driven by complex security and socio-economic factors rather than religion.

The security challenge has also prompted increased US military involvement. In December 2025, American forces carried out airstrikes against Islamic State-linked militants in northwestern Nigeria in coordination with Nigerian authorities, as part of broader counter-terrorism cooperation. The United States has also expanded training and military support for Nigerian security forces.