The United States government has announced new visa restrictions targeting Nigerians involved in the violation of religious freedom, with the measures potentially extending to their immediate family members.
In a statement released Wednesday and titled “Combating Egregious Anti-Christian Violence in Nigeria and Globally,” the U.S. Department of State said the policy is a direct response to persistent attacks and mass killings of Christians in Nigeria by radical Islamic terrorists, Fulani militias, and other violent groups.
According to the statement, the restrictions fall under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act, giving Washington the authority to deny visas to individuals who have “directed, authorised, significantly supported, participated in, or carried out violations of religious freedom.”
The measure may also apply to the immediate family members of those found culpable.
The State Department referenced comments attributed to former U.S. President Donald Trump, reaffirming that the United States “cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening in Nigeria, and numerous other countries.”
The new policy will apply to both state and non-state actors implicated in religious repression or persecution.
The announcement comes amid heightened global concern over attacks on religious communities in Nigeria, including killings, abductions, and widespread destruction linked to various armed groups.
