United States Senator Ted Cruz has called on the White House to impose targeted sanctions on Nigerian government officials and 12 state governments that enforce Sharia and blasphemy laws, saying these laws are being used to persecute Christians in the country.
Speaking in Washington on Wednesday, Senator Cruz praised President Donald Trump for reinstating Nigeria’s designation as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC), a classification used by the U.S. State Department to identify nations accused of severe violations of religious freedom.
The designation, which had been removed under President Joe Biden, was restored last week following growing pressure from religious freedom advocates and conservative lawmakers in the U.S.
Cruz, a long-time critic of the Biden administration’s foreign policy on religious rights, said the previous government “turned a blind eye” to what he described as the mass killing of Christians by extremist groups in northern Nigeria.
“Unfortunately, Joe Biden came into office and immediately removed Nigeria from the list,” Cruz said.
“He lifted pressure, ended sanctions, and looked away while radical terrorists continued slaughtering Christians.”
He added that President Trump’s renewed action was both “necessary and moral.”
“When President Trump was re-elected, I led efforts urging him to redesignate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern. Last Friday, he did, and it was absolutely the right thing to do.”
Senator Cruz revealed he has introduced new legislation that seeks to impose visa bans, asset freezes, and financial restrictions on Nigerian officials and state governments accused of enforcing laws that infringe on religious freedom.
“I’ve introduced a bill that would sanction those responsible for facilitating or condoning these mass atrocities,” he said.
“Twelve Nigerian states enforce Sharia law and blasphemy laws. These are being used to persecute Christians, and the officials involved are complicit.”
Cruz urged the White House to use America’s “full range of sanctioning tools” to pressure the Nigerian authorities to halt religious persecution.
“These actions are not about punishing Nigeria, they’re about incentivizing change and protecting innocent lives,” he said.
The renewed push for sanctions follows President Trump’s recent comments warning that the U.S. “will not stand by while Christians are being killed” in Nigeria.
In a statement released by the White House, Trump reaffirmed that Nigeria has officially been placed on the CPC list and warned that Washington could cut aid or take military action if the violence continues.
“Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria,” Trump said. “Thousands are being killed by radical Islamists. The United States will not tolerate these atrocities.”
He also called on congressional leaders, including Rep. Riley Moore and House Appropriations Chair Tom Cole, to immediately review U.S. aid to Nigeria and report back with recommendations.
“The U.S. is willing and able to defend religious minorities. The killing of Christians will not continue under our watch,” Trump added.
The Nigerian government has dismissed the U.S. allegations, saying they are based on misinformation and political bias. Officials in Abuja insist that ongoing violence in parts of the country stems from criminality, ethnic clashes, and banditry, not religious persecution.
“The Nigerian Constitution guarantees freedom of religion and protects all faiths,” a government spokesperson said earlier. “The suggestion that there is a campaign of Christian genocide is both inaccurate and unfair.”
Nigeria was first designated as a Country of Particular Concern in 2020 during President Trump’s first term, due to reports of rising attacks by Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
The designation was removed under President Biden in 2021 amid diplomatic engagements with Abuja.
Human rights groups and international observers have continued to warn of deteriorating security conditions in northern Nigeria, where thousands have been killed or displaced in attacks by armed groups.
Cruz’s proposed sanctions, if enacted, could mark one of the most significant escalations in U.S.-Nigeria relations in years.
