A United States lawmaker, Representative Marlin Stutzman, has joined Senator Ted Cruz in denouncing the alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria, urging immediate action to protect the vulnerable community.
Their comments follow reports of continued attacks, kidnappings, and killings of Christians by jihadist groups across Nigeria. In 2025 alone, thousands have reportedly been killed, while many others remain missing or displaced.
“We must use every available tool to stop this,” said Republican Rep. Stutzman of Indiana in a post on his X handle. “Implementing Sharia law and condoning the murder of innocent people is barbaric.”
Senator Cruz had earlier condemned the violence, noting that Christians in Nigeria were being “targeted and executed for their faith by Islamist terrorist groups.”
He added that believers were being forced to conform to Sharia and blasphemy laws across the country.
Similarly, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna criticised the silence surrounding the persecution, saying, “Christians are being hunted and slaughtered in Nigeria for their faith and the world stays silent. If this were any other group, there’d be global outrage.”
The lawmakers’ remarks come amid growing alarm over Nigeria’s deteriorating security situation, where extremist organisations like Boko Haram and ISWAP continue to terrorise communities in the north.
In response, the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa has reportedly approved measures urging President Donald Trump to impose sanctions on Nigeria over the ongoing persecution of Christians.
According to a 2024 report by the Observatory for Religious Freedom in Africa, Nigeria accounts for about 90% of all Christians killed globally each year.
Between October 2019 and September 2023, at least 55,910 people were killed, and over 21,000 others abducted in attacks linked to terrorist and extremist groups.
The Nigerian government has faced strong criticism for its alleged inaction, with U.S. lawmakers accusing it of turning a blind eye to the killings and allowing extremist groups to operate unchecked.
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) also warned that Nigeria’s security forces have failed to curb the violence and, in some cases, have been complicit in the atrocities.
If implemented, the proposed sanctions could mark a significant shift in U.S.-Nigeria relations, carrying potential economic and diplomatic consequences.
The move follows a congressional hearing where U.S. lawmakers condemned the Nigerian government’s failure to protect Christian communities from escalating violence.
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