United States Senator Ted Cruz has urged the White House to impose targeted sanctions on Nigerian government officials and 12 state governments enforcing Sharia and blasphemy laws, alleging that these laws are being used to persecute Christians in the country.
Speaking in Washington on Wednesday, Senator Cruz commended President Donald Trump for restoring Nigeria’s designation as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) — a U.S. State Department classification reserved for nations accused of severe violations of religious freedom.
The designation, which had been removed during President Joe Biden’s administration, was reinstated last week following mounting pressure from religious freedom advocates and conservative lawmakers in the United States.
Cruz, a long-time critic of the Biden administration’s foreign policy on religious liberty, accused the former president of “turning a blind eye” to what he described as the mass killings 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 described President Trump’s renewed action as 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,” he added.
Cruz also revealed that he had introduced new legislation seeking 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.”
He further called on the White House to use America’s “full range of sanctioning tools” to pressure Nigerian authorities into halting religious persecution.
“These actions are not about punishing Nigeria, they’re about incentivising change and protecting innocent lives,” he stated.
The renewed push for sanctions follows President Trump’s recent remarks 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 had officially been placed on the CPC list and warned that Washington could cut aid or even 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 urged congressional leaders, including Rep. Riley Moore and House Appropriations Chair Tom Cole, to review U.S. aid to Nigeria and provide immediate 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 since dismissed the allegations, describing them as politically motivated and based on misinformation. Officials in Abuja maintain that the ongoing violence 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. “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, following widespread reports of attacks by Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
The designation was removed under President Biden in 2021 amid diplomatic engagement with the Nigerian government.
However, human rights groups and international observers have continued to warn about worsening insecurity in northern Nigeria, where thousands have been killed or displaced by armed groups.
If Senator Cruz’s proposed sanctions are passed, they could mark one of the most significant diplomatic escalations between the U.S. and Nigeria in recent years.
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