A United States Congressman, Riley Moore, has called on the U.S government to blacklist Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) over religious war claims.
In a letter addressed to the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, the U.S congressman argued that the designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern was needed over what he described as severe religious freedom violations.
Moore, a Republican representative from West Virginia known for his staunch defense of international human rights, decried what he termed a “systematic persecution and slaughter of Christians” fueled by radical Islamist groups like Boko Haram and Fulani militants.
Citing data from advocacy organization Open Doors, the congressman highlighted that more than 7,000 Christians have been martyred in Nigeria this year alone.
Moore also pointed out that the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump had previously listed Nigeria as a country of particular concern following religious war claims in 2020, a designation later removed under President Joe Biden.
He called on Secretary Rubio to restore the designation and suspend all U.S. arms sales and technical support to the Nigerian government until it takes steps to protect religious minorities.
He stated: Nigeria is the deadliest country in the world for Christians and the world stands by silently.
“That’s why I’m urging @SecRubio to designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern to unlock diplomatic levers to protect our brothers and sisters in Christ.
“Since Boko Haram’s insurgency in 2009, more than 50,000 Christians have been murdered and more than 5 million have been displaced.
“Just this year, a priest was kidnapped and murdered on Ash Wednesday. 54 Christians were martyred on Palm Sunday.
“At least 250 priests have been attacked or killed in the last decade. More than 19,000 churches have been attacked or destroyed since 2009– averaging three per day.
“In addition to concerning reports of cells of the Nigerian government’s potential involvement in these attacks, officials at both state and federal levels are also often hostile to Christians.
“This includes forcing the closure of Christian orphanages and forced conversions.
“Both federal and some state governments enforce anti-blasphemy laws. One individual was sentenced to 24 years in prison for “insulting the Prophet Mohammed.”
“Others face the death penalty for similar reasons.
“President Trump designated Nigeria as a CPC at the end of his first administration, but President Biden undid the designation.
“Then Senator-Rubio signed a letter urging Blinken to reverse course, writing that “the moment demands that you do so without delay.”
“I agree. We can’t turn a blind eye as our brothers and sisters in faith face martyrdom for proclaiming the name of Christ.
We must designate Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern.”
Pan-Atlantic Kompass reports that Moore’s move came after Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz had raised an alarm over religious war claims in Nigeria.
Cruz had introduced a bill in the United States Senate over alleged religious persecution, particularly against Christians.
The bill, titled the ‘Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025,’ calls on the U.S. Secretary of State to restore Nigeria’s CPC status and impose targeted sanctions on Nigerian officials accused of being complicit in religiously motivated violence or in enforcing blasphemy laws.
“Nigeria has become one of the deadliest places in the world to be a Christian,” Cruz said in a statement. “This bill ensures accountability for Nigerian officials who turn a blind eye, or worse, participate in the persecution of religious minorities.”
What happened in the past
Pan-Atlantic Kompass reports on December 2, 2020, then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo added Nigeria to the CPC roster for the first time, citing the government’s tolerance of atrocities by groups like Boko Haram and Fulani militants.
Nigeria became the first secular democracy to earn the designation, joining violators like China and Iran.
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), which had recommended the move since 2009, hailed it as a “turning point” for spotlighting the deaths of thousands of Christians annually—over 4,000 in 2020 alone, according to Open Doors.
Should the State Department heed Moore’s recent plea, the implications could potentially reshape U.S.-Nigeria relations.
The designation could result in U.S. aid restrictions, travel bans, and asset freezes, further straining Nigeria’s diplomatic and economic relations with Washington.
A CPC designation would not only impose targeted sanctions but also empower the U.S. to rally international allies through forums like the UN Human Rights Council, amplifying pressure on President Bola Tinubu’s government.
Economically, Nigeria stands to lose big. As Africa’s top oil producer and a key U.S. trading partner with over $10 billion in annual bilateral trade, a blacklist could disrupt energy deals and foreign investment.
Nigerian Senate debate motion countering ‘Christian genocide’ narrative
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Senate on Tuesday debated a motion challenging what lawmakers describe as dangerous misrepresentations of the country’s security situation, particularly the growing international narrative portraying violence in parts of Nigeria as a “Christian genocide.”
The motion was sponsored by Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume (Borno South), a former Senate Leader, and co-sponsored by Senators Sani Musa (Niger East), Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko (Sokoto North), and Ibrahim Bomai (Yobe South).
The motion is titled “Urgent Need to Correct Misconceptions Regarding the Purported ‘Christian Genocide’ Narrative in Nigeria and International Communities.
Debating the motion during plenary, Ndume acknowledged that Christian communities have suffered tragic attacks but warned that framing the security crisis as solely religious is inaccurate and dangerous.
“Mischaracterising the crisis in purely religious terms risks inflaming sectarian divisions, misguiding international policy, and undermining national unity,” Ndume asserted.
He also argued that Nigeria’s security challenges are complex, driven by terrorism, insurgency, communal conflicts, banditry, and organised crime, all of which have affected citizens across religious, ethnic, and regional lines.
Ndume also cautioned against the consequences of oversimplified narratives gaining traction abroad, citing recent moves in the U.S. Congress to designate Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) for alleged religious persecution.
The lawmaker also called on the Federal Government to adopt a data-driven and transparent communication strategy, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and security agencies, to counter misinformation with verifiable facts and figures.
Nigerians speak on the religious war claims
A prominent legal expert and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Niyi Akintola has criticised U.S. lawmakers for promoting “misleading narratives”
He argued that the religious war claims are false, adding that Nigeria is not at war and that President Bola Tinubu’s administration has made significant progress in tackling terrorism and banditry since taking office in 2023.
“This is an agenda the lawmakers must pursue relentlessly as they resume today,” Akintola said.
“They must also let the whole world understand that some opposition politicians are bent on destroying the country with propaganda. I say that there is no religious war in Nigeria and that the terrorists are not just attacking Christians, as the story is being painted.
“The media has fed the Western world with plenty of reports that are either not correct or inaccurate in rating the country.
“Nigeria must be wary of the Western world, who, according to me, have its own agenda to ensure that Nigeria is dismembered. The Western world is bent on achieving this objective, and part of it is the proposed bill in the U.S. Congress to brand the largest Black nation as a country of particular concern on which sanctions must be imposed.”
Also speaking against the proposed legislation in the U.S, Dr Olu Agunloye, a former Minister of Defence, said the United States has no right to impose sanctions on Nigeria over matters it has not thoroughly investigated.
Agunloye said: “America does not have the right to impose sanctions on Nigeria on issues they (Congressmen) do not have facts on.
“Yes, Christians are being killed, just as Muslims are also being killed. Bandits attack communities, just as communities also assemble themselves for reprisal attacks on the bandits.
“My take is that this battle of propaganda against Nigeria will not cease until those in government purge themselves and place more value on collective issues that affect us, instead of personal issues that are of benefit to politicians in power.
“Most of the crises facing Nigeria in the international community are being caused by governors, lawmakers, and government appointees who have failed to do the needful.”
