- Safiu Kehinde
Former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, has been indicted in a bill proposed at the United States Congress over alleged genocidal attacks and religious freedom violation in Nigeria.
The bill christened ‘‘Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026’’ and proposed before the chamber on by US Congressmen, Riley Moore and Chris Smith, sought targeted sanctions, asset freezes, and visa bans against Kwankwaso.
The 2023 New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) Presidential candidate was indicted in the bill alongside the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN), Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, and Fulani-ethnic nomad militias.
They were accused of being responsible for severe religious violations.
As contained in a copy of the bill seen by NPO Reports, the Moore and Smith charged the Department of State and the Department of the Treasury to enact the sanctions.
Further highlighted in the bill were cases of terrorists’ attacks on Christians and reports of causalities recorded in the attacks from 2009 to 2025.
According to reports, the bill has already garnered support from other House Republicans, including Florida Rep. and House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast, Florida Rep. and Appropriations Vice Chairman Mario Diaz-Balart and Michigan Rep. and House Foreign Affairs South and East Asia Subcommittee Chairman Bill Huizenga, according to a statement sent to the Caller from Smith.
The bill is expected to move through the House quickly and points to actions already taken by President Donald Trump to combat the persecution in Nigeria, according to the statement.
Meanwhile, Smith in his argument while presenting the bill said the U.S. has a responsibility to follow Trump’s lead by pressuring the Nigerian government to take steps to “address and punish” systemic violence against Christians and non-radical Muslims by Islamist extremists.