United States Senator Ted Cruz has announced that he plans to publicly name Nigerian government and security officials he believes are complicit in what he describes as the systematic persecution and killings of Christians in Nigeria.
In a video message published on his official social media channels, Cruz expressed concern about Nigeria’s worsening security situation, particularly in northern and central parts of the country. He praised former U.S. President Donald Trump’s earlier decision to classify Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) over religious freedom violations, especially attacks by extremist groups such as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
“There is no country on earth where Christians are more persecuted than Nigeria,” Cruz stated, insisting that the U.S. should now go beyond expressions of concern and impose targeted sanctions on individuals in Nigeria who are allegedly enabling or directly involved in attacks on Christian communities.
Cruz said he has been sponsoring legislation in Washington to restore Nigeria to the CPC list and to enforce consequences on individuals responsible for religiously motivated violence, adding that he intends to disclose their identities soon.
Nigeria’s government has repeatedly rejected claims of state-sponsored persecution, arguing that the insecurity affecting parts of the country affects multiple ethnic and religious groups. Abuja maintains that it is implementing various security operations to combat banditry, terrorism, and communal violence.
However, with U.S. lawmakers increasing pressure and international rights groups raising repeated alarms about rising casualty numbers, diplomatic tensions between Washington and Abuja could deepen in the coming weeks as Cruz moves to name the officials he accuses.
Source:Africa Publicity
