Wednesday, February 11, 2026 - Some Republican lawmakers in the United States house of representatives have introduced a bill seeking the designation of Fulani ethnic militias as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) over “religious violence” in Nigeria.
The proposed legislation, titled the ‘Nigeria Religious
Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026’, was introduced by Riley Moore and
co-sponsored by Chris Smith, alongside other Republican lawmakers.
The bill calls on the US secretary of state to consider
whether Fulani militias should be formally designated as a terrorist
organisation and to submit annual reports to congress on efforts to address
religious persecution in Nigeria.
It also urges a review of US assistance to Nigeria to ensure
that American support does not inadvertently sponsor religious persecution or
systemic violence.
Moore, republican representative from West Virginia,
announced the proposed legislation in a post on X on Tuesday, Feb.
10.
He wrote: “Today, I am proud to introduce the Nigeria
Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026 with Rep. Chris Smith.”
“The U.S. is a Christian nation. As such, we must stand with
persecuted Christians around the world.
“Our legislation will build upon the momentum of President
Trump designating Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern and the recent
US-Nigeria security framework agreement.”
The bill, tagged HR 7457, calls on the US secretary of state
to submit an annual report to the foreign affairs committees in the house of
representatives and the senate detailing efforts to address what it describes
as Christian persecution in Nigeria.
Smith, chairman of the house foreign affairs Africa
subcommittee, said the United States has a responsibility to pressure Nigeria
to act against systemic violence.
“The Nigerian government’s blatant denial of the religious
persecution occurring within its borders has only enabled the religious-based
violence in the country to fester, with Christian deaths and church attacks
reaching unprecedented numbers,” Smith said.
The bill references destruction of churches, kidnappings,
s£xual violence, and attacks on villages, estimating that between 50,000 and
125,000 Christians were k!lled between 2009 and 2025.
Moore said he visited Nigeria as part of an investigation initiated by
President Donald Trump.
“As part of the investigation President Trump asked me to
lead, I visited Nigeria and witnessed firsthand the horrors our brothers and
sisters in Christ face and saw the security challenges Nigeria faces,” Moore
said.
He added that the bill demonstrates that “the United States
stands with our persecuted Christians”.
Tom Cole, republican representative from
Oklahoma and chairman of the house appropriations committee, said defending
religious liberty globally aligns with US interests and responsibilities.
Cole said the proposed law would
reinforce efforts to ensure that “religious persecution will not be
tolerated”.
The legislation also calls on the
secretary of state to counter what it describes as “the hostile foreign
exploitation” of illegal Chinese mining operations in Nigeria.
Brian Mast, republican representative
from Florida and chairman of the house foreign affairs committee; Mario
Diaz-Balart, republican representative from Florida; and Bill Huizenga,
republican representative from Michigan; are among other co-sponsors of the
bill.
In November 2025,
Trump designated Nigeria as a country of particular concern, a move
that allows the US executive branch to apply diplomatic and economic
measures.
Trump also authorised coordinated strikes with the Nigerian
government against suspected militants on Christmas Day 2025.
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