‘Country of particular concern’: Reps reject US Senate’s designation of Nigeria

Nigeria’s House of Representatives on Wednesday kicked against the resolution passed by the US Senate, which seeks to designate Nigeria as ‘Country of Particular Concern’ and impose sanctions on Nigerian officials under Executive Order 13818 (Global Magnitsky) and related authorities.

The resolution was passed in sequence to the adoption of a motion on the ‘Urgent need for a coordinated Diplomatic and Domestic response to the proposed Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025 (U.S. Senate Bill S.2747) and to Mischaracterisations of Nigeria’s Security and Religious-Freedom Landscape’, sponsored by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Benjamin Kalu and others.

The Deputy Speaker specifically frowned at the negative narratives that frame Nigeria’s security crisis as a singularly religious conflict or as State-sponsored persecution; however reaffirmed Nigeria’s constitutional protections for freedom of religion and belief.

In his lead debate, Hon. Kalu noted that on 9th September 2025 a bill titled the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025 (S.2747) was introduced in the United States Senate seeking to require the U.S. Secretary of State to designate Nigeria a ‘Country of Particular Concern’ (CPC) and to impose sanctions on Nigerian officials under Executive Order 13818 (Global Magnitsky) and related authorities.

“The House further notes that the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has in recent Annual Reports, recommended Nigeria for CPC designation, citing persistent violations and state failures to protect against non-state actor abuses.

“The House recognises that Nigeria’s Constitution guarantees freedom of thought, conscience and religion and bars adoption of a State religion, and that successive administrations, security agencies, faith leaders and civil society continue to undertake measures to protect all worshippers and prosecute offenders, as reflected in the U.S. Department of State’s 2023 country chapter and prior reports.

“The House observes that insecurity in Nigeria is complex and multi-causal, driven by insurgency, criminal banditry, farmer-herder conflict, separatist violence and communal disputes, affecting Citizens of all faiths; international reporting attributes a significant share of fatalities to terrorist groups and criminal gangs rather than State policy or a single religious dynamic.

“The House is concerned that external legislative actions based on incomplete or decontextualised assessments risk undermining Nigeria’s sovereignty, misrepresenting facts, straining strategic relations, and unintentionally emboldening violent actors.

“The House is mindful of Nigeria’s longstanding partnership with the United States on counter-terrorism, human rights, democratic governance and inter-faith dialogue, and the African Union’s emphasis on tolerance and inclusive societies.”

To this end, the House condemned all forms of violence and persecution against any person or group on the basis of religion or belief and commiserates with all victims irrespective of faith.

The lawmakers also rejected outrightly narratives that frame Nigeria’s security crisis as a singularly religious conflict or as state-sponsored persecution, and reaffirmed Nigeria’s constitutional protections for freedom of religion and belief.

The House also mandated the Committees on Foreign Affairs, National Security, & Intelligence, Interior, and Information, National Orientation & Values, Police Affairs, Civil Society, Human Rights to within 21 days coordinate the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Nigerian Embassy in Washington, D.C. to lodge a formal diplomatic demarche to the sponsors of S.2747 and relevant U.S. committees, transmitting empirical data and Nigeria’s official position.

The joint committees are also expected to lodge a formal diplomatic demarche to the U.S. Mission in Nigeria and interested U.S. legislators to propose a Nigeria-U.S. Joint Fact-Finding and Dialogue Mechanism on freedom of religion or belief (FoRB), with participation from Faith Leaders and independent experts, and to invite USCIRF to a hearing/briefing of this House to examine sources, methodology and remedies.

The House further mandated the Committee on Legislative Compliance to ensure execution of these resolutions and to report back to the House within 28 days.

The lawmakers also ordered that this resolution be transmitted to the Presidency, Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Heads of Security Agencies; as well as the United States Congress leadership (Senate Foreign Relations; House Foreign Affairs), the U.S. Department of State, and USCIRF, The African Union and ECOWAS Commissions.

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