A bill seeking to impose visa restrictions and freeze assets of members of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) and Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore has been introduced before the United States Congress.
The proposed legislation is part of ongoing efforts by the U.S. government to address alleged violations of religious freedom in Nigeria.
It will be recalked that U.S. President Donald Trump had on Friday, designated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) and directed Congressman Riley Moore and House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole to investigate alleged killings of Christians. The Nigerian government, however, rejected the claim, insisting that the nation’s constitution guarantees freedom of worship.
Despite the rebuttal, however, reports by The New York Times revealed that the U.S. military drafted contingency plans for potential action in Nigeria.
On Tuesday, Congressman Christopher Smith introduced the bill under the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA), targeting individuals and groups “responsible for or complicit in severe violations of religious freedom.” Smith also commended Trump for re-designating Nigeria as a CPC, citing continued attacks on Christian communities.
The bill lists “Fulani-Ethnic Militias” operating in Benue and Plateau States among “Entities of Particular Concern” (EPCs) — a U.S. designation for non-state actors accused of major religious liberty violations. Other EPCs include Boko Haram, ISIS-West Africa, ISIS-Sahel, the Taliban, and the Houthis.
If passed, the legislation would authorize U.S. authorities to impose visa bans and asset freezes on individuals connected to the named entities.
The bill follows months of advocacy from U.S. lawmakers and evangelical groups. In September, Senator Ted Cruz introduced the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025 (S.2747), co-sponsored by five Republican senators, to reinstate Nigeria’s CPC status and sanction officials deemed complicit in religious persecution.
The lawmakers alleged that more than 52,000 Christians have been killed in Nigeria since 2009 and over 20,000 churches and Christian institutions destroyed or attacked.
Additionally, the proposed law mandates the U.S. State Department to submit annual reports to Congress on Nigeria’s human rights record and recommend visa or financial sanctions where violations persist.
Representative Riley Moore also urged U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to take “immediate action” against what he described as the “systematic persecution and slaughter of Christians in Nigeria,” thanking Trump for his “leadership” in defending religious freedom globally.
