Sunday, February 15 2026 - Senator Ali Ndume has described as surprising a bill introduced in the United States Congress proposing sanctions against former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso.
Ndume, who represents Borno South, made the remarks during
an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today. “I am surprised that
Kwankwaso’s name was mentioned, and I want to know why and how he got
mentioned,” the lawmaker said.
“For them to mention just Kwankwaso, a former governor,
something must be fishy somewhere. Perhaps there is intelligence and
information available to others that some of us aren’t aware of. I don’t want
to go too deeply into that, but in my view, the asset freezes and sanctions
proposed by the UK, America, and other developed countries are misplaced,” he
added.
On Tuesday, five US lawmakers introduced a bill seeking to
sanction Kwankwaso, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria
(MACBAN), and Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore over alleged violations of religious
freedom.
The proposed legislation, titled the “Nigeria Religious
Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026,” is sponsored by Chris Smith, Riley
Moore, Brian Mast, Mario Diaz-Balart, and Bill Huizenga.
According to part of the bill, “The Department of State and
the Department of the Treasury should impose targeted sanctions, including visa
bans and asset freezes under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability
Act, on individuals or entities responsible for severe religious freedom
violations, or report to Congress the reasons such sanctions have not been
imposed, including, Fulani-ethnic nomad militias in Nigeria; Rabiu Musa
Kwankwaso, former Kano State Governor; Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association
of Nigeria (MACBAN); and Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore.”
The development comes months after US President Donald Trump
redesignated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) over the alleged
killing of Christians, a move the lawmakers described as justified.
Ndume, however, urged the US and other countries to shift
focus. “If they want to help us, they should focus their attention on ‘People
of Particular Concern’ rather than labeling the entire nation a ‘Country of
Particular Concern,” he said.
“The majority of Nigerians are innocent people. But there
are a few people who are holding Nigeria’s assets outside, and they [foreign
powers] know, and up to now, there is no exposure [of such people].”
The Kwankwasiyya Movement, led by Kwankwaso, has rejected
the proposed legislation, describing the inclusion of his name as “unfounded”
and “politically motivated,” and calling for its removal from the bill.
“We state unequivocally that these allegations are
consistent with nothing in the verifiable public record of Senator Kwankwaso’s
life and service,” spokesperson Habibu Mohammed said.
A chieftain of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), under
which Kwankwaso contested the 2023 presidential election, also criticised the
move. “How can anybody in their right senses put up a bill that is as important
as talking about religion and terrorism and single out one individual in this
country?” Folashade Aliu asked.
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