The House of Representatives has unanimously rejected moves by the US Senate to designate Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern (CPC)”.
Persecondnews reports that a “CPC” is a designation by the US Secretary of State for a nation engaged in severe violations of religious freedom under the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA).
A bill titled, Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025 (S.2747), was introduced in the US Senate on September 9.
The bill seeks for the US Secretary of State to designate Nigeria a “CPC’ and to impose sanctions on Nigerian officials under Executive Order 13818 (Global Magnitsky) and related authorities.
The House of Representatives resolution was taken after a motion of urgent national importance was moved by the Deputy Speaker, Rep. Benjamin Kalu, raising alarm over the consequences of such a move by US Senate.
Moving the motion, Kalu described Nigeria as a country with respect for rights to worship and human dignity and protection.
He dismissed insinuations that the security lapses in the country were hinged on religious acrimony and violations.
Kalu noted that Nigeria’s constitution guarantees freedom of thought, conscience and religion and bars adoption of a state religion.
He said that the house should therefore reject outrightly narratives that frame Nigeria’s security crisis as a singularly religious conflict or as state-sponsored persecution.
The Deputy Speaker, however, reaffirmed Nigeria’s constitutional protections for freedom of religion and belief.
Contributing, the Majority Leader, Rep. Julius Ihonvbere, blamed the move by the US Senate on some Nigerians who have deliberately chosen to de-market the country.
Ihonvbere called on the lawmakers to ensure that such misinformation and false narratives were dismissed by presenting facts to the US Senate.
Similarly, Rep. Wole Oke called for urgent moves to rewrite the false narratives against Nigeria and nip in the bud any move by US to sanction Nigeria.
In the same vein, Rep. Ahmed Jaha, representing the Chibok Federal Constituency of Borno State, stressed the need for the lawmakers to protect the international image of Nigeria.
Jaha, who commended the deputy speaker for moving the motion, called for amendments in the motion.
Adopting the motion, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, referred it to the committees on Foreign Affairs and Police for further legislative actions.
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