United States Senator Ted Cruz has renewed allegations accusing the federal government of complicity in the killing of Christians in Nigeria, calling for targeted sanctions against officials he claims are linked to religious persecution.
In a video shared on his X (formerly Twitter) account, Cruz alleged that Nigeria remains the “deadliest country in the world for Christians,” claiming that more than 50,000 Christians have been killed since 2009 in attacks attributed to armed jihadist groups.
He also stated that over 20,000 churches, schools, and religious institutions have been destroyed during the same period.
Cruz further claimed that some Christians were kidnapped during the recent Holy Week celebrations, describing the situation as part of an ongoing pattern of targeted violence.
He accused government officials of either ignoring or being complicit in the attacks, alleging failures at both the federal and state levels to adequately address insecurity in the country.
The senator also referenced the existence of Sharia and blasphemy laws in parts of northern Nigeria as contributing factors to religious tensions.
Cruz said he had previously introduced the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act, which seeks to designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern and impose sanctions on officials allegedly involved in religious rights violations.
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He urged the United States government to identify and penalize individuals at both local and federal levels linked to abuses of religious freedom.
The senator also claimed that Nigerian officials had previously challenged his position, while insisting that some security representatives had assured him of efforts to curb violence during past engagements.
Cruz referenced past U.S. policy actions, including Nigeria’s designation as a Country of Particular Concern under President Donald Trump, as well as reported military actions against ISIS-linked groups following attacks on Christian communities.
He questioned whether any meaningful progress had been made since those measures and called for stronger international intervention to address ongoing violence.
The federal government has repeatedly denied allegations of religious persecution, maintaining that insecurity in the country is driven by multiple factors, including terrorism, banditry, and communal conflicts, rather than religious targeting.
