A United States Congressman, Riley M. Moore, has called forsanctions and the repeal of blasphemy and Sharia laws in Nigeria as part ofbroader recommendations to address violence against Christian communities inthe country.Moore made this known in a report presented to the WhiteHouse and later posted on his official X handle on Tuesday. The report, which he said followed months of investigation,outlines what he described as concrete steps to end the persecution ofChristians in Nigeria and tackle extremist violence. According to Moore, the process included a bipartisancongressional fact-finding visit to Nigeria, hearings with expert witnesses,consultations with religious leaders, meetings with Internally DisplacedPersons (IDPs), and discussions with senior Nigerian government officials. “Following today’s productive meeting at the White House, Iwant to thank President Trump for redesignating Nigeria as a Country ofParticular Concern and for his Administration’s commitment to protecting ourbrothers and sisters in Christ from persecution,” Moore said. “I traveled on a bipartisan delegation to Nigeria and sawwith my own eyes the horrific atrocities Christians face, and the instabilitythe Nigerian government must combat,” Moore stated. Nigeria was redesignated as a Country of Particular Concern(CPC) on October 31, 2025, a move Moore said led to his assignment, alongsideAppropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole, to lead a comprehensivecongressional investigation into the situation. The report recommends establishing a bilateral U.S.-Nigeriasecurity agreement aimed at protecting vulnerable Christian communities anddismantling jihadist networks. It also proposes withholding certain U.S. funds until theNigerian government takes demonstrable action to stop violence againstChristians. In addition, Moore called for sanctions and visarestrictions against individuals and groups allegedly responsible for orcomplicit in religious persecution. The report further recommends providing technical support tothe Nigerian government to address violence linked to armed Fulani militias. The report further recommended a demand for the repeal ofSharia and blasphemy laws, which Moore argues contribute to religiousdiscrimination. He also urged collaboration with international partners,including France, Hungary, and the United Kingdom, to confront securitychallenges in Nigeria. He added that through congressional hearings and engagementswith stakeholders, the team had provided a clear picture of the threatenvironment in Nigeria and the horrific persecution Christians face. “Our brothers and sisters in Christ have suffered in silencefor too long. The world is now watching,” he said. The report urged the Nigerian government to deepen itsrelationship with the United States to address the security crisis. “Doing so is in the interest of both our great nations.Together, we must address these pressing security challenges and bring an endto violence against Christians.” It will be recalled that on December 7, the Congressionaldelegation met in Abuja with Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu,to discuss ways to find a lasting solution to the killings of innocentChristians by extremist groups.
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