House Republicans have introduced a bill requiring the State Department to provide detailed reports on U.S. efforts to protect Christians facing persecution in Nigeria. The legislation, led by Representatives Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Riley Moore (R-WV), also calls for increased pressure on the Nigerian government to address threats from jihadist groups.
The proposed “Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act” builds on previous actions by President Donald Trump, who designated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for religious freedom violations. This designation allows sanctions if a government is found complicit in faith-based human rights abuses. After being removed from the CPC list under President Joe Biden, Nigeria was returned to the list by Trump in October.
If enacted, the bill would require the State Department to monitor specific jihadist organizations in Nigeria that could be classified as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and document any progress made by Nigerian authorities toward repealing blasphemy laws present in several Muslim-majority states.
An initial report would be due 90 days after passage, with annual updates until Nigeria is no longer listed as a CPC. These reports would assess compliance with international religious freedom standards, efforts against blasphemy laws, humanitarian aid provided to persecuted Christians, and identify individuals or groups for potential sanctions.
The bill notes: “Estimates indicate that between 50,000 to 125,000 Christians have been martyred between 2009 and 2025, with more than 19,000 Christian churches attacked or destroyed.” It highlights violence committed by Fulani militias—sometimes called “Fulani herdsmen”—as well as attacks from Boko Haram and Islamic State affiliates.
“These militias have conducted attacks involving targeted killings, hostage-taking, hijackings, armed assaults, massacres of civilians, destruction of property, and forced displacement of local population,” according to the bill’s text. Citing data from Open Doors humanitarian organization, it states that 72 percent of Christians killed worldwide for their faith in 2025 were murdered in Nigeria.
The legislation criticizes Nigeria’s enforcement of sharia law—including death penalty blasphemy statutes—in northern states. It asserts: “Nigeria retains and enforces blasphemy laws carrying the death penalty in northern states under Sharia criminal law; such laws have been used to target Christians, Muslims, and dissenters.” The government is accused of denying religious persecution exists and failing to respond adequately to violence motivated by religion.
President Bola Tinubu’s administration has denied claims of religiously motivated violence following renewed CPC designation. Tinubu stated: “the characterisation of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality nor does it take into consideration the consistent and sincere efforts of the government to safeguard freedom of religion and beliefs for all Nigerians.”
Tinubu officials have reportedly pressured marketing firms regarding coverage of jihadist attacks and opposed constitutional amendments banning sharia imposition nationwide. Presidential Adviser Daniel Bwala commented: “We differ with them on this idea of amending our constitution. Nigeria is a sovereign state…and we are not Venezuela.”
Despite these tensions, cooperation between U.S. forces and Nigerian authorities has occurred recently through joint airstrikes against Islamic State targets during Christmas Day operations. A small team of U.S. military officers was also sent this month to help address ongoing violence.
After introducing the bill Rep. Smith said: “Inaction on the parts of both the Nigerian and U.S. governments only emboldens these radical Islamist thugs to inflict even more misery, suffering, and death upon Christians and non-radical Muslims in Nigeria…That is why it is paramount that the United States remain steadfast in its mission to promote and protect religious freedoms throughout the globe—by ensuring that we are doing all that we can to end this crisis we set an important example for the rest of the international community.”
Rep. Moore added: “As part of the investigation President Trump asked me to lead I visited Nigeria and witnessed firsthand the horrors our brothers and sisters in Christ face and saw the security challenges Nigeria faces.”
Chris Smith has represented New Jersey’s 4th district since replacing Frank Thompson in Congress in 1981 (https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/S000522). He was born in Rahway New Jersey in 1953; he graduated from The College of New Jersey with a BS degree (https://www.nj.com/news/2021/01/who-is-chris-smith-njs-longest-serving-congressman-and-trump-critic.html).
