The United States announced Wednesday that it will impose visa restrictions on Nigerians deemed responsible for what it described as “anti-Christian violence.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington was taking firm action in response to “mass killings and violence” targeting Christians in Nigeria. He explained that the restrictions would apply not only to individuals directly involved but also to their families, specifically naming radical Islamic terrorists, Fulani ethnic militias, and other violent actors in Nigeria and beyond.
Rubio further noted that the policy could be extended to other governments or individuals implicated in violations of religious freedom.
The announcement comes in the wake of President Donald Trump’s recent warning of possible military action in Nigeria over what he characterized as the persecution of Christians by radical Islamist elements.
The move underscores Washington’s growing concern over religious freedom and human rights in Africa’s most populous nation, where sectarian violence has claimed thousands of lives in recent years.
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