By: Sunday Ameh
United States Senator Ted Cruz has urged the White House to impose targeted sanctions on Nigerian government officials and the 12 states enforcing Sharia and blasphemy laws, which he said are being used to persecute Christians and violate basic human rights in Nigeria.
Cruz made the call shortly after former U.S. President Donald Trump reinstated Nigeria’s designation as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) — a designation previously removed by the Biden administration.
Speaking to reporters, the Texas lawmaker commended Trump’s move, saying it marked a return to “moral clarity” in America’s foreign policy.
“When President Trump was first in office, he designated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern because of the mass slaughter of Christians,” Cruz said.
“Unfortunately, Joe Biden came into office and immediately removed them from the list, turned a blind eye while radical Islamic terrorists slaughtered innocent people. I am grateful that President Trump has corrected this and taken a strong stand once again.”
The Republican senator disclosed that he had introduced legislation that would compel the U.S. government to sanction Nigerian officials and state governments complicit in human rights abuses. The proposed measures include visa bans, asset freezes, and financial restrictions for officials found guilty of facilitating or ignoring persecution.
“Twelve states in Nigeria enforce Sharia and blasphemy laws, while the federal government still criminalises blasphemy nationwide. These laws are used to target Christians — and the officials who enable these acts must face consequences,” Cruz declared.
He urged the White House to deploy all diplomatic and sanctioning tools available to pressure Nigerian leaders to end religiously motivated violence.
SaharaReporters earlier reported that Donald Trump, in a speech shared by the White House, warned that the United States “would not stand by while Christians are being killed” in Nigeria.
“Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed by radical Islamists. I have therefore designated Nigeria as a country of particular concern,” Trump said.
“The United States is able and willing to defend Christians. The killings must stop.”
Trump also directed Congressman Riley Moore and Chairman Tom Cole of the House Appropriations Committee to “immediately” investigate the situation and report back to him.
The Nigerian government, however, has rejected the U.S. classification, describing it as misleading and insisting that the nation’s constitution guarantees freedom of religion. Officials maintain that Nigeria’s security challenges affect people across ethnic and religious lines, not just Christians.
The renewed U.S. pressure has sparked widespread debate, with human rights groups urging Nigerian authorities to review religious laws that contradict international human rights standards.
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