US imposes visa restriction on individuals violating religious freedom in Nigeria

News Update

THE United States has imposed visa ban on individuals who have directed, authorised or supported violations of religious freedom.

The restriction may also affect their immediate family members.

The Department of State, in a statement on Wednesday titled ‘Combating Egregious Anti-Christian Violence in Nigeria and Globally’, said the United States was taking decisive action in response to the mass killings and violence against Christians by radical Islamic terrorists, Fulani ethnic militias and other violent actors in Nigeria and beyond.

American officials say the move follows years of repeated assaults, killings, and destruction of Christian settlements by extremist groups, armed militias, and coordinated criminal networks operating in several parts of Nigeria.

The statement explained that the restrictions fall under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act.

Under this rule, visas may be denied to individuals who directed, authorised, funded, or participated in violations of religious freedom.

The policy may also apply, where necessary, to close relatives of those individuals.

The U.S. government stressed that it would not ignore the rising wave of religiously-motivated attacks.

Officials referenced ongoing patterns of violence in communities repeatedly targeted by radical Islamic terrorists, factions linked to Fulani militias, and other armed groups.

They described these incidents as part of a broader trend that demands urgent international attention.

Washington also reiterated that the protection of religious minorities remains a key part of its foreign policy.

The new visa ban is expected to put pressure on Nigerian authorities to intensify efforts toward preventing sectarian killings, improving security intelligence, and ensuring accountability for perpetrators.

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The Nigerian government, however, has often maintained that many of the conflicts are driven by land disputes, banditry, and long-standing economic tensions.

However, critics argue that religious identity has increasingly become a defining factor in several of the recent attacks, especially in rural communities.

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