[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 860 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 860
Commending President Trump for Redesignating Nigeria a Country of
Particular Concern due to Nigeria's engagement in and tolerating
systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
November 4, 2025
Mr. Smith of New Jersey (for himself and Mr. Huizenga) submitted the
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign
Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a
period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Commending President Trump for Redesignating Nigeria a Country of
Particular Concern due to Nigeria's engagement in and tolerating
systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom, and
for other purposes.
Whereas, for over a decade, Islamic terror organizations have carried out mass
murder, rape, kidnappings, and other atrocities targeting mostly
Nigerian Christians and non- Fulani moderate Muslim populations,
resulting in mass displacement and destruction of places of worship, in
what appears to be a concerted effort for a Fulani-con-trolled empire
modeled upon the caliphate in northern Nigeria established by Usman dan
Fodio, in the late 18th and early 19th century;
Whereas prominent Christian and Muslim leaders have been kidnapped or
assassinated, including priests, pastors, and imams who advocate for
religious tolerance;
Whereas religious leaders, such as Father Remigius Iyhula and Bishop Wilfred
Anagbe who testified on March 12, 2025 at a hearing of the House Foreign
Affairs Committee about the persecution and targeted killings of
Christians in the Diocese of Makurdi, have faced intimidation, threats,
and harassment from both extremist groups and government authorities;
Whereas the 2023 Watch List released in January by Open Doors, the
interdenominational foundation that supports persecuted Christians
throughout the world, indicates that Nigeria accounts for 89 percent of
Christians martyred worldwide;
Whereas northern Nigeria has seen the destruction of ``over 18,000 churches
since 2009'' in attacks by Boko Haram militants, Fulani herdsmen, and
others, according to a 2023 Vatican report, and in 2021, the Department
of State reported five attacks on mosques by unidentified gunmen,
bandits, and Boko Haram;
Whereas an August 2024 report from the Observatory of Religious Freedom in
Africa found that approximately 56,000 people died in attacks and about
22,000 people were abducted by terror groups in Nigeria between October
2019 and September 2023.
Whereas ethnic and religiously inspired violence occurring in Nigeria is causing
unspeakable suffering and the forced relocation of between 3.5 to 5
million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in northeastern Nigeria, and
343,000 registered Nigerian refugees in the Lake Chad region;
Whereas, in 2020, the Department of State designated Nigeria a CPC pursuant to
the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6401 et
seq.);
Whereas, in 2021, 2022, and 2023, the Department of State omitted Nigeria from
its CPC list and in 2024 did not release a CPC list nor its
[congressionally-mandated] annual International Religious Freedom
Report;
Whereas the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom recommended
redesignating Nigeria a CPC four years in a row from 2021 to 2024 and
said ``[t]here is no justification'' as to why the State Department
continues to fail to redesignate Nigeria as a CPC;
Whereas, on March 23, 2023, then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken testified to
the House Committee on Foreign Affairs refusing to explain the decision
to remove the CPC designation for Nigeria, given by the previous
Administration;
Whereas, on May 22, 2024, then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken testified to
the House Committee on Appropriations that the killings of Christian
farmers in Nigeria ``has nothing to do with religion,'' a categorical
statement which is inconsistent with readily discernable evidence;
Whereas multiple media reports, including from BBC, CNN, and Reuters, have
highlighted religious persecution, attacks on houses of worship, and the
Government of Nigeria has been unwilling to effectively investigate and
prosecute perpetrators of religiously motivated violence, leading to a
culture of impunity;
Whereas blasphemy laws have also been used to target religious minorities and
dissenters with harsh penalties, including death sentences;
Whereas, in 12 northern States, Sharia law is implemented alongside secular law,
leading to discrimination against non-Muslims and even Muslims who do
not adhere to strict interpretations of Islamic law;
Whereas the United States and Nigeria are allies and trading partners with
important, shared security interests;
Whereas, since FY2020, the United States Government has obligated more than
$3.53 billion and disbursed more than $2.24 billion in non-military
foreign assistance to, or for use in, Nigeria;
Whereas, since FY2020, the Department of Defense has obligated in excess of
$83,507,253 to provide military and security assistance to the
Government of Nigeria;
Whereas the United States foreign policy toward Nigeria should consider these
factors and justify the purposes for, and amounts of, financial
assistance provided by the United States to and in Nigeria; to identify
and justify the outcomes of that assistance; and
Whereas the designation of Nigeria as a CPC will enhance diplomatic efforts to
encourage the Nigerian government to take necessary actions to protect
religious minorities and uphold fundamental human rights: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved, That it is the Sense of the House of Representatives
that--
(1) President Donald J. Trump acted appropriately and
decisively to redesignate Nigeria as a CPC and hold the
Nigerian government accountable for its complicity in religious
persecution by radical Islamists, such as Boko Haram and Fulani
terrorists;
(2) The State Department should:
(a) provide immediate humanitarian assistance
directly to faith-based groups to support internally
displaced people in Nigeria's middle belt states; and
(b) condition U.S. foreign assistance, including
through global health programs, to immediately address
religious freedom violations and develop strategies for
long-term peace and stability, including the Nigerian
government taking immediate and effective steps to
prevent religious persecution, prosecute perpetrators
of violence, take action to care for the millions of
internally displaced persons, and uphold constitutional
protections for religious freedom;
(3) The United States, through the Department of State and
Department of Treasury, should impose targeted sanctions,
including visa bans and asset freezes under the Global
Magnitsky framework and other restrictive measures, on
individuals and entities responsible for severe violations of
religious freedom in Nigeria, including sanctions against
Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN)
and Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, and should place Fulani-Ethnic
Militias operating in Benue and Plateau States on the Entities
of Particular Concern List under the International Religious
Freedom Act; and
(4) The United States is committed to promoting religious
freedom and human rights as foundational principles of U.S.
foreign policy.
<all>