A new bill introduced in the United States Congress is seeking targeted sanctions against members of two Nigerian cattle herders’ associations, accusing them of involvement in serious religious freedom violations.
The proposed legislation names the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) and Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore. If passed, the bill would impose visa bans and freeze any assets belonging to individuals linked to the groups.
The bill was sponsored by Republican Congressman Chris Smith, who praised President Donald Trump for re-designating Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” following claims of widespread persecution against Christians.
The document also calls for “Fulani Ethnic Militias” operating in Benue and Plateau states to be placed on the US list of “Entities of Particular Concern” under the International Religious Freedom Act. Groups previously placed in this category include Boko Haram, ISIS-West Africa, ISIS-Sahel, the Taliban, and the Houthis.
The announcement came on the same day US Senator Ted Cruz said he intends to push for accountability against Nigerian officials accused of ignoring or enabling attacks on Christian communities. Cruz had earlier proposed a separate bill, the “Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025,” to sanction federal and state leaders who support blasphemy laws in Nigeria.
The Nigerian government has repeatedly rejected accusations of religiously targeted violence, insisting that insecurity in the country is driven largely by criminality, land disputes, and socio-economic tensions, not religion.