The House of Representatives has unanimously opposed a move by the United States Senate to designate Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC).
The CPC designation, under the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA), applies to nations accused of engaging in severe violations of religious freedom.
A bill titled Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025 (S.2747) was introduced in the U.S. Senate on September 9. The proposed legislation seeks to have Nigeria classified as a CPC and to impose sanctions on Nigerian officials under Executive Order 13818 (Global Magnitsky Act) and related authorities.
Reacting to the development, the House resolution followed a motion of urgent national importance moved by the Deputy Speaker, Rep. Benjamin Kalu, who warned of the potential diplomatic and economic consequences of the U.S. Senate’s move.
Kalu described Nigeria as a nation that upholds the rights to worship, human dignity, and protection. He rejected claims that insecurity in the country stems from religious intolerance or state-backed persecution, emphasizing that the Nigerian Constitution guarantees freedom of thought, conscience, and religion while prohibiting the adoption of any state religion.
He urged the House to reject narratives portraying Nigeria’s security challenges as religiously motivated, stressing that such claims misrepresent the true situation in the country.
Supporting the motion, the Majority Leader, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, blamed the development on Nigerians who deliberately spread falsehoods abroad to tarnish the country’s image. He called for proactive engagement with the U.S. Senate to correct the misinformation.
Rep. Wole Oke also emphasized the need for urgent efforts to counter false narratives against Nigeria and prevent any U.S. sanctions, while Rep. Ahmed Jaha (Chibok Federal Constituency, Borno State) lauded Kalu for raising the motion and called for necessary amendments to strengthen it.
Following deliberations, Speaker Rep. Tajudeen Abbas adopted the motion and referred it to the Committees on Foreign Affairs and Police Affairs for further legislative action.
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