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A new bill before the US Congress targets Miyetti Allah groups for alleged religious freedom violations in Nigeria.
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The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Smith Christopher, recommends visa bans and asset freezes.
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Nigeria’s government insists religion is not a key driver of its security challenges.
A new bill before the United States, US Congress has proposed visa restrictions and asset freezes on members of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) and the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore over alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria.
The bill, introduced on Tuesday by Congressman Smith Christopher, accused both groups of being involved in “severe violations of religious freedom” and recommended that they be designated as entities of particular concern under the International Religious Freedom Act.
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According to the bill, the sanctions will apply to individuals and organisations found culpable, including “Fulani-Ethnic Militias” reportedly active in Benue and Plateau States. These groups, the bill stated, fall under the category of non-state actors that have committed grave abuses against religious minorities.
Other groups previously listed as entities of particular concern (EPCs) by the United States include Boko Haram, ISIS-Sahel, ISIS-West Africa, the Taliban, and the Houthis.
Congressman Christopher commended US President Donald Trump for re-designating Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), a move that allows Washington to impose targeted sanctions on individuals and entities involved in religious persecution.
Also reacting to the growing tension, US Senator Ted Cruz vowed to “hold Nigerian officials accountable” over what he described as “Christian genocide”.
“I intend to be very explicit about who they are in the coming days and weeks,” Cruz said. The senator had earlier sponsored the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025,
