Reps kick against US Senate’s resolution designating Nigeria as “Country of Particular Concern”

By Christiana Ekpa

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