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US To Place Visa Restriction On Sponsors Of Christian Genocide In Nigeria
The United States has announced plans to impose visa restrictions and other sanctions on individuals sponsoring or perpetrating attacks against Christians in Nigeria, as part of a new policy aimed at combating what it describes as egregious violations of religious freedom.
In a statement titled “Combating Egregious Anti-Christian Violence in Nigeria and Globally,” the U.S. Department of State said the measures would apply to those who direct, authorize, significantly support, participate in, or carry out religiously motivated violence—including their immediate family members.
According to the statement, the action targets radical Islamist terrorists, Fulani ethnic militias, and other violent actors implicated in mass killings of Christians in Nigeria.
The restrictions fall under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act, which grants the State Department authority to deny visas to individuals seen as threats to religious freedom.
The statement recalled President Donald Trump’s public warnings about the situation in Nigeria, quoting him as saying: “The United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening in Nigeria.” Trump had recently described Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern,” insisting that thousands of Christians were being killed and urging Congress to investigate.
The U.S. government noted that the new sanctions would apply not only to Nigeria, but also to any country where individuals or authorities violate religious freedom.
In earlier social media posts, Trump alleged that “radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter” and indicated he was considering further action if the killings continued.
Nigeria’s federal government, while acknowledging widespread insecurity, has consistently rejected the claim that Christians are being systematically targeted for extermination. Officials maintain that the violence has no religious underpinning, insisting that communities of different faiths have suffered similar attacks driven by criminality, banditry, and terrorism.
The Nigerian government has also sought foreign support—including from the U.S.—to tackle insecurity, particularly in the North, where insurgency and armed groups remain active.
