United States Senator Ted Cruz has reaffirmed his commitment to sponsoring legislation intended to counter the enforcement of Sharia and blasphemy laws in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, following the recent redesignation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) by former U.S. President Donald Trump, on allegations of religious persecution against Christians.
In an official statement issued through his Senate website, Senator Cruz, a Republican representing Texas, expressed satisfaction with the redesignation, describing it as consistent with his long-standing advocacy for global religious freedom and the protection of Christians in Nigeria.
“I am deeply gratified to President Trump for making this determination,” Senator Cruz stated. “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.”
According to the statement, the proposed legislation seeks to impose targeted sanctions and accountability measures against Nigerian government officials found to have implemented, endorsed, or facilitated Sharia or blasphemy laws.
“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 added.
Senator Cruz’s remarks came shortly after President Trump announced—via his Truth Social account—that Nigeria had been redesignated as a “Country of Particular Concern”, a classification reserved under U.S. law for countries engaged in or tolerating severe violations of religious freedom.
In his statement, President Trump alleged that “Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria”, asserting that “thousands of Christians are being killed by radical Islamists.” He further disclosed that he had directed several members of the U.S. Congress, including Representatives Riley Moore (R-W.Va.) and Tom Cole (R-Okla.), to investigate the reported killings and submit their findings.
“The United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening in Nigeria,” Mr Trump said. “We stand ready, willing, and able to save our great Christian population around the world.”
Currently, Sharia law is applied in twelve northern Nigerian states, predominantly among Muslim communities. Human rights organizations have consistently criticized the use of blasphemy laws in these jurisdictions, citing recurring incidents of mob violence and judicial executions against individuals accused of religious offences.
Notable cases include the 2022 killing of Deborah Samuel, a student murdered by a mob in Sokoto State over alleged blasphemy; the 2024 lynching of a butcher in Bauchi State accused of desecrating the Qur’an; and the recent killing of a cleric in Kano State following alleged blasphemous remarks.
It may be recalled that in 2020, when the U.S. government first designated Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern”, the administration of the late President Muhammadu Buhari rejected the classification as “misinformed and politically motivated.” Nigerian officials at the time maintained that the federal government safeguards the rights of all citizens irrespective of faith, and described the U.S. assessment as being influenced by religious pressure groups pursuing narrow agendas.#newsafro_
