The Campaign Secretary of the New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP), Folashade Aliu, has condemned a proposed United States bill seeking to impose sanctions—including visa bans and asset freezes—on the party’s national leader and former Kano State governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso.
Aliu described the proposal as malicious and unfair, arguing that it unjustly singles out one individual in a country of more than 260 million people. She said the bill’s focus raises serious questions about its intent, particularly given the sensitive nature of issues such as religion and terrorism.
The proposed legislation also lists the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) and Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore among entities to be sanctioned.
Speaking on Sunrise Daily on Channels Television on Friday, Aliu questioned the rationale behind targeting a single individual. She asked how lawmakers could address such far-reaching matters while isolating one person as the focus of legislative action.
Aliu insisted there is no evidence linking Kwankwaso to any extremist or terrorist group and challenged the sponsors of the bill to make any credible proof public if it exists. She further argued that Nigeria has a broad pool of leaders capable of addressing national challenges, making the decision to concentrate on one individual appear deliberate and ill-motivated.
“If you cannot do anything but find an individual, that tells you how malicious this whole arrangement is,” she said.
The bill, introduced on Tuesday in the United States House of Representatives, seeks to compel the US Secretary of State to submit a comprehensive report on efforts to address alleged religious persecution and mass atrocities in Nigeria. If passed, the Departments of State and Treasury would impose sanctions on individuals and entities deemed responsible for severe violations of religious freedom.
Five US lawmakers sponsored the legislation: Chris Smith, Riley Moore, Brian Mast, Mario Diaz-Balart and Bill Huizenga. Titled the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026, the bill also references groups described as “Fulani-ethnic nomad militias”.
The sponsors praised former US President Donald Trump for redesignating Nigeria as a country of particular concern and urged Washington to deploy diplomatic, economic and security measures to pressure the Nigerian government to address alleged abuses.
Meanwhile, the Kwankwasiyya Movement has rejected the bill outright, describing the inclusion of Kwankwaso’s name as unfounded and politically motivated. Its spokesperson, Habibu Sale Mohammed, said the allegations have no basis in the public record of Kwankwaso’s life or service.
Responding to claims by Rep. Riley Moore linking Kwankwaso to religious extremism through the implementation of Sharia law during his tenure as governor, the movement argued that Sharia-based legal systems in northern Nigeria are constitutional arrangements adopted by several states, not the initiative of one individual. It said singling out Kwankwaso under such circumstances undermines the credibility and evidentiary standard of the proposed legislation.