Senate Bill Would Sanction Nigerian Officials for Harming Christians
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, introduced a bill Sept. 9 to impose property-blocking sanctions on Nigerian officials who permit or promote the persecution of Christians and other religious minorities.
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Such persecution is “endemic” in Nigeria, where more than 52,000 Christians have been murdered by “jihadists” since 2009, according to a Cruz press release, which cited a report by a Nigerian human rights group.
“Nigerian Christians are being targeted and executed for their faith by Islamist terrorist groups, and are being forced to submit to sharia law and blasphemy laws across Nigeria,” Cruz said. “It is long past time to impose real costs on the Nigerian officials who facilitate these activities.”
Cruz’s Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act was referred to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The Nigerian embassy in Washington didn’t respond to a request for comment.