US lawmakers seek sanctions on Miyetti Allah over alleged religious freedom violations
The United States House of Representatives has called on the Departments of State and Treasury to impose targeted sanctions on individuals and organisations accused of violating religious freedom in Nigeria — including the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) and Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore.
The call was contained in a bill introduced before the House on Tuesday.
According to the bill, Islamic terror groups have, for over a decade, carried out mass killings, kidnappings, rapes, and other atrocities targeting mostly Nigerian Christians and non-Fulani moderate Muslims. The attacks, it said, have led to mass displacement and widespread destruction of places of worship.
The document also noted that prominent religious leaders — priests, pastors, and imams — who promote tolerance have been victims of abductions and assassinations. It cited the cases of Father Remigius Ihyula and Bishop Wilfred Anagbe, who testified before the House Foreign Affairs Committee on March 12, 2025, about the persecution of Christians in the Diocese of Makurdi. The lawmakers said the two clerics have since faced intimidation, threats, and harassment from both extremist groups and government authorities.
Supporters of the bill argued that redesignating Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) would enhance U.S. diplomatic leverage in demanding accountability and stronger protections for religious minorities.
They maintained that former U.S. President Donald Trump “acted appropriately and decisively” in redesignating Nigeria as a CPC, and urged that the current administration continue to hold the Nigerian government accountable for alleged complicity in religious persecution by extremist groups such as Boko Haram and Fulani militias.
The bill further recommended that the U.S. State Department provide direct humanitarian assistance to faith-based organisations supporting internally displaced persons in Nigeria’s Middle Belt region.
It also called on the Departments of State and Treasury to impose visa bans, asset freezes, and other sanctions under the Global Magnitsky framework against individuals and entities responsible for severe violations of religious freedom in Nigeria. These, it said, should include Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, and Fulani ethnic militias operating in Benue and Plateau states, which the lawmakers proposed be listed as “Entities of Particular Concern” under the International Religious Freedom Act.
The bill additionally urged the U.S. government to review and justify the purpose and amounts of its recent security and development assistance to Nigeria, and to condition future support on measurable improvements in human rights.
The measure has been referred to the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Judiciary Committee for further legislative consideration.
