US Senator Ted Cruz pushes legislation against enforcement of Sharia, blasphemy laws in Nigeria, applauds Donald Trump
United States Senator from Texas Ted Cruz has applauded President Trump’s designation of Nigeria as a ‘country of particular concern’, stating that he would advance a legislation geared towards tackling the enforcement of Sharia and blasphemy laws in Nigeria.
This was contained in a statement issued via his official website, wherein the Republican Senator noted that the move aligned with his efforts to protect Christians allegedly facing religious persecution in Nigeria.
The statement read in part: “I am deeply gratified to President Trump for making this determination. I have fought for years to counter the slaughter and persecution of Christians in Nigeria, and this year introduced legislation that will lock in the designation made today.
“Today’s designation is a critical step in holding accountable and changing the behavior of Nigerian officials who have facilitated and created an environment conducive to the outrages in Nigeria.”
He stated that Nigerian officials who implement or support blasphemy and Sharia laws would face sanctions and accountability measures in the proposed legislation.
“I am committed to working with the administration and my colleagues to advance my bill and implement these necessary measures. Today’s decision by President Trump is a great one, and I thank him for his strong leadership,” he added.
The Senator’s remarks came hours after the US President Donald Trump, on Friday, designated Nigeria a ‘country of particular concern’ in an announcement made via a Truth Social post and shared on X (formerly Twitter), in response to allegations of genocide against Christians in the Country.
Trump stated that “Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria” and added that “thousands of Christians are being killed” by “radical Islamists.”
The US President further asked Congressman Riley Moore and Chairman Tom Cole and the House Appropriations Committee, to look into the matter and report back to him.
Stating that the United States was willing to save Nigerian Christians, as well as those of other countries from “atrocities”, the US President said: “The United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening in Nigeria and numerous other countries. We stand ready, willing, and able to save our Great Christian population around the World!”
Reports say that Sharia Law is implemented in 12 northern Nigerian states, mainly among Muslims. This has allegedly seen the use of blasphemy accusations against individuals, resulting in their death through mob action, or a death sentence by religious courts passed against alleged blasphemers.
A good example is late Deborah Samuel, a Nigerian Christian who was stoned and set ablaze by extreme Islamic mobs in Sokoto State in 2022, on the grounds of blasphemy. Numerous examples abound of such extreme killings in Nigeria.
Nigeria, a multinational State of approximately 240 million people, is home to the world’s largest Muslim and Christian populations. It is divided roughly in half between Muslims, who live mostly in the northern part of the country, and Christians, who live mostly in the southern part. Indigenous religions or traditional worshippers are in the minority.
