Former governor of Kano State, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso may face targeted U.S. sanctions, including visa restrictions and asset freezes, under a proposed bill aimed at holding Nigerian individuals and groups accountable for alleged violations of religious freedoms.
The legislation, known as the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026, was introduced on Tuesday by Congressman Riley Moore (R–West Virginia) and co-sponsored by Representative Chris Smith (R–New Jersey).
The bill cites Kwankwaso and certain Fulani-ethnic nomadic militias, including the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) and Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, as potential subjects of sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act.
The bill also directs the U.S. Secretary of State to determine whether some Fulani militias qualify as Foreign Terrorist Organizations under U.S. law. In addition to sanctions, it proposes expanded humanitarian aid for communities affected by violence, particularly in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, to be delivered through credible faith-based and non-governmental organizations and jointly funded by the U.S. and Nigerian governments.
Congressman Moore said the proposed legislation builds on prior U.S. actions addressing religious freedom in Nigeria, including its designation as a “Country of Particular Concern” and ongoing bilateral security cooperation.
The move comes amid renewed international attention on Nigeria’s protracted security challenges, including violent clashes in the Middle Belt and northern regions.
Nigerian authorities, however, maintain that these conflicts are driven by a complex mix of criminality, land disputes, and communal tensions, rather than solely religious differences.
The bill is currently at the proposal stage and must pass both chambers of the U.S. Congress before becoming law.
