REACTIONS have continued to trail a proposal by United States (US) lawmakers to impose sanctions, including a visa ban and asset freeze, on former Kano State governor and national leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, and others, over alleged severe religious freedom violations.
On Tuesday, February 10, some US lawmakers introduced a bill at the country’s House of Representatives seeking to compel the Secretary of State to submit a comprehensive report on efforts to address religious persecution and mass atrocities in Nigeria.
The legislation, titled “Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026, HR 7457,” was proposed by congressmen Chris Smith, Riley Moore, Brian Mast, Mario Diaz-Balart, and Bill Huizenga.
The bill urged the US government to deploy possible diplomatic, and security tools to pressure the government of Nigeria to end impunity for perpetrators of mass atrocities and religious persecution.
It further directed the Department of State and the Department of the Treasury to impose targeted sanctions, including visa bans and asset freezes under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, on individuals or entities responsible for severe religious freedom violations, listing Fulani-ethnic nomad militias, Kwankwaso, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), and Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore.
NNPP rejects allegations
The NNPP has, however, rejected the allegations against Kwankwaso, describing the move as politically motivated and unfair.
In a statement on Wednesday, February 11, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Ladipo Johnson, dismissed any suggestion that the former governor was responsible for religious freedom violations.
Johnson also recalled that the former governor had opposed US President Donald Trump’s designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern, warning against oversimplifying Nigeria’s complex security challenges.
The party questioned why Kwankwaso was singled out over the implementation of Sharia law in Kano when several northern states adopted similar legal frameworks.
It further argued that the former governor maintained cordial relationships with Christian leaders, curtailed Boko Haram activities in Kano during his tenure, supported a Christian presidential candidate in the past and selected a Christian running mate in the 2023 election.
“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 , Rep Moore of the US Congress stated to Kwankwaso that, “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.” This was because Kano State, under Kwankwaso’s leadership, brought the Islamic legal code into full effect, joining other northern Nigerian states such as Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina, Yobe, Jigawa, and Borno,” the statement added.
The NNPP, therefore, called on US lawmakers to conduct a fair and thorough review of Kwankwaso’s record and avoid actions capable of damaging his reputation.
Nigerians reacts
Meanwhile, many Nigerians and commentators have expressed their feelings over the move to blacklist the NNPP leader. Some commentators described the move as unjust and urged fairness regardless of political differences, while others suggested the international attention could inadvertently boost Kwankwaso’s political profile and strengthen his support base, particularly in northern Nigeria.
Public commentator JJ Omojuwa wrote through his X handle, “Irrespective of one’s politics, there won’t be a better time to stand with Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso.
“I wouldn’t consider myself a full human being with all the dignity and agency God has given each one of us, if just on account of certain prospective repercussions, I will watch a man like him be unfairly targeted, just because he took a stand for his county. Especially when such a stand was in no way a threat to another country.
“There is absolutely no reason for his name to appear in that document. I do hope that it will be publicly debated and justice will prevail.”
Former presidential aide Bashir Ahmad also stated: “I am not politically aligned with Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso. He is the leader of the NNPP, while I am a committed member of the APC, but political differences, however, should never make us abandon fairness or justice. It is therefore important to state clearly that unfairly linking him to the killings of Christians in this country is wrong and unjust. In recent history, there has been no terrorist incident specifically targeting Christians in his State, Kano.
“We may disagree politically, but on matters of truth and justice, we must be consistent. So, on this issue, we stand with Sen. Kwankwaso.”
Another X user, Ibrahim Modibbo Sanusi, noted that the controversy could boost Kwankwaso’s political visibility, saying “Kwankwaso is currently enjoying free PR, courtesy of USA and the APC.”
“The more he is attacked, the more his profile rises. Across the North, his support base is quietly expanding and it’s not small at all especially now that the region has lost PMB as a unifying figure.”
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M