Lawmakers at the House of Representatives
Nigerian House of Representatives has firmly opposed a recent move by the United States Senate to classify Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC), a designation reserved for nations accused of severe violations of religious freedom under the U.S. International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA).
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the proposal came in the form of a bill—S.2747, the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025—introduced in the U.S. Senate on September 9.
The bill calls on the U.S. Secretary of State to designate Nigeria a CPC and to impose sanctions on specific Nigerian officials under Executive Order 13818, also known as the Global Magnitsky Act.
Rising on a motion of urgent national importance, Deputy Speaker of the House, Rep. Benjamin Kalu, urged lawmakers to reject the move, warning of its potential diplomatic and economic implications.
“Nigeria remains a nation that respects the right to worship and human dignity,” Kalu declared.
He stressed that while the country faces security challenges, these issues should not be misconstrued as religious persecution or state-backed oppression.
Kalu reminded the House that Nigeria’s constitution enshrines freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, and explicitly prohibits the adoption of any state religion.
“We must not allow narratives that paint our internal security issues as religiously motivated or government-sanctioned to go unchallenged,” he added.
Supporting the motion, Majority Leader, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, argued that the push for the CPC designation was influenced by certain Nigerians intentionally spreading misleading information about the country.
He urged fellow lawmakers to “present verifiable facts” to counter such narratives and protect Nigeria’s global reputation.
Rep. Wole Oke echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the urgency of proactively correcting falsehoods and lobbying against any form of sanctions.
Similarly, Rep. Ahmed Jaha, representing Chibok Federal Constituency in Borno State, called for stronger efforts to defend Nigeria’s international image and reputation.
Commending Rep. Kalu for initiating the motion, Jaha also proposed certain amendments to strengthen its impact.
Following a unanimous voice vote, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas referred the motion to the committees on Foreign Affairs and Police for further legislative action.
NAN
