US to impose visa ban on Nigerians found complicit in terrorism, Christian killings
The United States Department of State is currently considering visa restrictions against individuals and groups implicated in the alleged mass killings and attacks on Nigerian Christians.
This was made known by the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio in a statement on Wednesday. “The United States is taking decisive action in response to the mass killings and attacks on Christians carried out by radical Islamic terrorists, Fulani militias, and other violent groups in Nigeria and beyond,” Rubio said.
Under the new policy implemented through the Immigration and Nationality Act, anyone who has “directed, authorised, significantly supported, participated in, or carried out violations of religious freedom,” can have their visa restricted through the Immigration and Nationality Act, with their immediate family members not left out.
Rubio expressed the US concern over the rising attacks on faith communities, stating that measures could be applied “to Nigeria and any other governments or individuals engaged in violations of religious freedom”.
This is coming after a briefing by US House Republicans on Tuesday which centered around escalating religious violence in Nigeria, convened at the direction of President Donald Trump, who instructed the House Appropriations Committee on October 31 to investigate the alleged killing of Christians in Nigeria.
The briefing chaired by Appropriations Vice Chairman Mario Díaz-Balart, had members of the House Appropriations and House Foreign Affairs Committees in attendance, among others.
There were testimonies alleging state complicity in what some lawmakers described as “religious cleansing” in northern Nigeria and the Middle Belt, during the bipartisan session.
The US–Nigeria Joint Working Group was recently formed to implement security agreements and tackle the growing concerns over terrorism, banditry, and targeted attacks on Christians in Nigeria.
President Trump had designated Nigeria as a ‘country of particular concern’, wherein the US President accused the Nigerian Government of not taking drastic steps in stemming the alleged genocide against Christian population in the country — an allegation the Nigerian Government had denied.
This had prompted the US House Subcommittee on Africa to commence a public hearing on November 20 for further review of Trump’s designation and assessment of the situation, with possible sanctions against Nigerian officials found complicit.
Trump had also threatened to place sanctions on Nigeria by stopping all aids and assistance to the Country as well as take military action, if the government does not move fast in tackling terrorism and protecting Christians.
