The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has strongly criticised a bill introduced in the United States House of Representatives seeking sanctions against its national leader and former Kano State governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, describing the move as unjust and politically motivated.
The proposed legislation, titled the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026, calls for sanctions including a visa ban and asset freeze against Kwankwaso, as well as the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, and groups identified as Fulani-ethnic nomad militias in Nigeria.
Reacting to the development, the NNPP’s Campaign Secretary, Folashade Aliu, faulted the bill for singling out one individual in a country with a population exceeding 260 million. Speaking during an appearance on Sunrise Daily on Channels Television, Aliu questioned the rationale behind targeting Kwankwaso in a matter concerning religion and terrorism.
She argued that no credible evidence has been presented linking the former governor to extremist groups or acts of religious persecution. According to her, if such evidence exists, it should be made public rather than forming the basis of what she described as a malicious legislative effort.
Aliu further maintained that focusing legislative action on one political figure undermines the seriousness of discussions around religious freedom and national security. She said that even if only a small percentage of Nigeria’s vast population holds leadership positions, the number would still be significant enough to address the country’s challenges collectively, rather than attributing blame to a single individual.
The bill was introduced on Tuesday by five U.S. lawmakers — Chris Smith, Riley Moore (the bill’s author), Brian Mast, Mario Diaz-Balart, and Bill Huizenga.
If passed into law, the legislation would require the U.S. Secretary of State to submit a comprehensive report detailing American efforts to address alleged religious persecution and mass atrocities in Nigeria. It also mandates the Departments of State and Treasury to impose sanctions on individuals or entities found responsible for severe violations of religious freedom.
In the draft seen by media outlets, the sponsors commended U.S. President Donald Trump for redesignating Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) over religious freedom issues. They further urged the U.S. government to deploy diplomatic, humanitarian, economic, and security tools to pressure Nigerian authorities to end impunity for perpetrators of religious violence and protect vulnerable communities.
As of the time of filing this report, neither Kwankwaso nor the named organisations had issued formal statements directly addressing the proposed sanctions.
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