The New Nigeria Peoples Party on Wednesday expressed shock over a proposed bill before the United States Congress which named its National Leader, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, among individuals recommended for targeted sanctions over alleged religious freedom violations in Nigeria.
The proposed legislation, titled the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026 (HR 7457), was introduced by Riley Moore (R-West Virginia) and co-sponsored by Chris Smith (R-New Jersey).
The bill recommends visa bans and asset freezes under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act against individuals and entities accused of involvement in religious freedom abuses.
Those listed include Kwankwaso, Fulani-ethnic nomad militias, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria and Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore.
Reacting at a press conference heldin Abuja, the NNPP National Publicity Secretary, Ladipo Johnson, dismissed any suggestion that Kwankwaso was responsible for religious freedom violations.
“We see this development as a contrived action against an innocent man who clearly has no relationship with religious fundamentalism in Nigeria.
‘His record is there in the public domain, either in public office or in private life and it is advisable for people to investigate such things properly, before reaching such conclusions,” he said.
Johnson noted that months before the latest development, Kwankwaso had reacted to the decision by US President Donald Trump to redesignate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern over alleged religious persecution.
He said, “The months before the latest development, Kwankwaso had openly reacted when President Donald Trump redesignated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern over alleged religious persecution.
“In a statement posted on his X handle at the time, Senator Kwankwaso cautioned against what he described as oversimplified characterisations of Nigeria’s internal challenges.
“Kwankwaso stated that it was important to emphasise that our country is a sovereign nation whose people face different threats from outlaws across the country.”
However, in a post shared on X, Moore had written to Kwankwaso, “Governor do you care to comment on your own complicity in the death of Christians? You instituted sharia law. You signed the law that makes so-called blasphemy punishable by death.”
Kano State, under Kwankwaso’s leadership, implemented the Islamic legal code, joining other northern states such as Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina, Yobe, Jigawa and Borno.
Questioning the allegation, the NNPP asked, “But is this enough to accuse Kwankwaso of severe religious freedom violations? Why were the other state governors who introduced Sharia in their states not accused as well? Is Rep Moore being fair or selective?
‘Isn’t the US in a good relationship with Qatar and Saudi Arabia (both Sharia Countries)? Why is this coming just after our government apparently paid for a consultant in the US? Isn’t it strange that it is Kwankwaso, an opposition leader who has spoken out so many times about the insecurity under this administration that the United States now seems to be turning on?”
The party also defended Kwankwaso’s record as governor.
“We recall that as governor of Kano State, Senator Kwankwaso ensured that the Boko Haram sect was wiped out of the state and his close relationships with Christian leaders in Kano and across the country attest to his credibility as a national leader and statesman.
“Even when he was pressured to introduce Sharia, he still lost his election because the predominantly Muslim voters punished him for supporting a Christian Presidential Candidate, in the person of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. Furthermore, in 2023 he ran his presidential campaign with a Christian Bishop, Bishop Isaac Idahosa as his running mate.
“These are the facts, which we think, should guide the Congress and its leaders, particularly Reps Riley Moore and Chris Smith to do a thorough investigation on the credibility of our leader, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso so that Justice is done to his noble name and cleared of such undue embarrassment,” Johnson added.
The bill directs the US Secretary of State to determine whether certain Fulani militias qualify as foreign terrorist organisations under US law and recommends humanitarian assistance for affected communities in Nigeria’s Middle Belt.
Tensions over religious freedom have intensified amid persistent violence in parts of northern Nigeria and the Middle Belt.
In late 2025, Trump redesignated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern over severe violations of religious freedom, a move rejected by the Nigerian government, which maintains that the country’s security challenges are multifaceted and not a religious war.
The proposed legislation is yet to be considered by the full US Congress.