The House of Representatives has condemned a proposed legislation in the United States Senate, describing it as a gross misrepresentation of Nigeria’s religious and security situation.
The decision followed the adoption of an urgent motion titled “Urgent Need for a Coordinated Diplomatic and Domestic Response to the Proposed Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025 (U.S. Senate Bill S.2747) and to Mischaracterisations of Nigeria’s Security and Religious-Freedom Landscape.”
The motion was sponsored by the Deputy Speaker, Mr. Benjamin Kalu, and several other lawmakers.
The controversial U.S. bill, introduced in the Senate on September 9, 2025, seeks to designate Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) over alleged violations of religious freedom and to impose sanctions on Nigerian officials under Executive Order 13818, also known as the Global Magnitsky Act.
Adopting the motion, the House rejected what it termed a “distorted and incomplete portrayal” of Nigeria’s realities, stressing that some security issues in the country are not driven by religion but by a mix of insurgency, banditry, separatist violence, and communal conflicts affecting citizens of all faiths.
Mr. Kalu reminded the chamber that the Nigerian Constitution guarantees freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, and prohibits the adoption of any state religion.
He noted that successive governments have protected worshippers of all faiths while bringing perpetrators of violence to justice.
He warned that “external actions based on misinformed assumptions not only threaten our sovereignty but risk emboldening violent actors.”
The Majority Leader, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, said misinformation about Nigeria must be corrected, lamenting that “many people, including Nigerians, are bent on demarketing the country.”
Similarly, Mr. Sada Soli urged the Nigerian Government to register its displeasure at what he described as “a deliberate attempt to dent Nigeria’s image.”
“We must redeem the image of our beloved country,” Soli said, warning that failure to respond would send the wrong message to the international community.
Mr. Billy Osawaru also expressed concern over Nigeria’s diplomatic lapses, pointing out that “Nigeria does not even have an Ambassador to the United States at the moment.”
He said that the issue must be urgently addressed, insisting that Nigeria “cannot afford to fail the African continent.”
The House condemned all forms of violence and persecution on religious grounds, while reaffirming the nation’s constitutional commitment to freedom of religion and belief.
The House further mandated its Committees on Foreign Affairs, National Security and Intelligence, Interior, Information, National Orientation and Values, Police Affairs, Civil Society, and Human Rights to collaborate within 21 days with the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Nigerian Embassy in Washington, D.C., to file a formal diplomatic protest against the U.S. bill.
The committees were also directed to initiate a Nigeria–U.S. Joint Fact-Finding and Dialogue Mechanism on Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), involving faith leaders, independent experts, and the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).
In addition, the Committee on Legislative Compliance was tasked with ensuring full implementation of the resolutions and reporting back to the House within 28 days.
With the unanimous adoption of the motion, the House reaffirmed its commitment to defending Nigeria’s image globally and ensuring that engagements with international partners are anchored on facts, fairness, and mutual respect.
Copies of the resolution are to be transmitted to the Presidency, the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, relevant security agencies, the U.S. Congress leadership, the U.S. Department of State, USCIRF, as well as the African Union and ECOWAS Commissions.
Olusola Akintonde