Reps Push Back: Nigeria Counters U.S. Senate Bill Over Religious Freedom Claims

NIGERIA’S House of Representatives has launched a coordinated pushback against a bill before the United States Senate that seeks to classify Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) over alleged violations of religious freedom.

The motion, sponsored by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, was debated under Matters of Urgent Public Importance on Wednesday. Lawmakers described the bill — Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act, 2025 (S.2747) — as a “mischaracterisation” of Nigeria’s internal security and religious landscape.

If passed, the U.S. bill, sponsored by Senator Ted Cruz, would empower Washington to impose sanctions on Nigerian officials accused of enforcing blasphemy laws or failing to protect religious minorities, under the Global Magnitsky Act.

Kalu argued that the move was “unjustified and potentially damaging,” warning that it could distort global perceptions of Nigeria and undermine its sovereignty.
“Our Constitution guarantees freedom of thought and religion. What we face are complex security challenges — terrorism, banditry, and communal conflicts — not state-sponsored persecution,” he told lawmakers.

The Deputy Speaker cited evidence from the U.S. Department of State’s 2023 Human Rights Report, which acknowledged Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to prosecute offenders and protect worshippers of all faiths.

‘A One-Sided Narrative’

During the heated session, several lawmakers condemned the U.S. Senate’s handling of the proposed legislation.

Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Oluwole Oke, disclosed that a U.S. congressional hearing on the bill excluded Nigeria’s diplomatic representatives. “It was a deliberate attempt to damage Nigeria’s image,” Oke said, urging closer collaboration between Nigeria’s legislature and its foreign missions.

Lawmakers also highlighted the absence of a substantive Nigerian ambassador to the U.S. and a permanent representative to the United Nations, describing it as a major setback to effective diplomacy.

“This Parliament must re-engineer its parliamentary diplomacy,” said Sada Soli (APC, Katsina). “We must engage Washington directly with facts, not emotions.”

Billy Osawaru (APC, Edo) warned that if Nigeria fails to respond strategically, the bill could set a dangerous precedent for other African nations. “If this sails through, Nigeria will be the first but not the last. We must not fail Nigeria — and we must not fail Africa.”

House Resolutions

Following the debate, the House:

• Condemned all forms of violence and persecution based on religion;

• Rejected any foreign narrative framing Nigeria’s insecurity as a religious conflict;

• Mandated key committees — including Foreign Affairs, National Security, and Human Rights — to work with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Nigeria’s Embassy in Washington within 21 days to present Nigeria’s official response.

The resolution also called for a Nigeria–U.S. Joint Fact-Finding Dialogue to clarify facts and rebuild trust, while copies of the decision will be sent to the Presidency, U.S. Congress, State Department, African Union, and ECOWAS.

As Nigeria navigates the diplomatic fallout, the House insists the nation’s diversity should be seen not as a fault line, but as proof that peaceful coexistence across religions remains central to its democratic identity.