By Olatunbosun Obafemi
U.S. Senator Ted Cruz has called for sanctions against Nigerian officials following President Donald Trump’s recent designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) over alleged religious persecution.
Cruz, who is sponsoring the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025, said the move should mark the beginning of tougher U.S. action to protect Christians and other religious minorities in Nigeria. The proposed legislation aims to impose penalties on individuals linked to religious violence.
In a post on his official X handle on Tuesday, the Texas lawmaker thanked President Trump for “fighting to stop the murder of Christians in Nigeria” and vowed to identify officials he claims are responsible for persecution. “I’ve been pushing legislation to designate Nigeria a CPC and to impose sanctions on the Nigerian officials responsible,” he wrote. “Now we should take the next step and hold them accountable. I intend to be very explicit about who they are in the coming days and weeks.”
President Trump had, last Friday, announced the CPC designation on his platform Truth Social, describing the situation as a “mass slaughter” of Christians by “radical Islamists.” He warned that the U.S. “cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening” and directed Congressman Riley Moore and House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole to investigate the killings.
The Nigerian government swiftly rejected the accusations, insisting that the country’s security challenges are not religiously motivated. Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, described the allegations as “false, baseless, and divisive.”
“Portraying Nigeria’s insecurity as a campaign against Christians is inaccurate and harmful,” Idris said, adding that extremists have targeted citizens of all faiths. He noted that between May 2023 and February 2025, Nigerian forces neutralized more than 13,500 terrorists and rescued nearly 10,000 hostages.
According to the minister, recent military operations — including the capture of top Ansaru leaders and over 700 convictions of Boko Haram suspects — show significant progress in combating terrorism. “These criminals target all who reject their murderous ideology, regardless of faith,” he stated.
