Several Republican members of the United States House of Representatives have introduced a bill seeking the potential classification of Fulani ethnic militias as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) over alleged “religious violence” in Nigeria.
The proposed measure, titled the ‘Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026’, was sponsored by Riley Moore and co-sponsored by Chris Smith, along with other Republican lawmakers.
The legislation urges the US secretary of state to evaluate whether Fulani militias should be officially designated as a terrorist group and to provide annual reports to Congress outlining steps taken to address claims of religious persecution in Nigeria.
It also recommends a reassessment of US assistance to Nigeria to ensure that American support does not unintentionally contribute to religious persecution or systemic violence.
Moore, a Republican representative from West Virginia, announced the bill in a post on X on Tuesday.
“Today, I am proud to introduce the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026 with Rep. Chris Smith,” he wrote.
“The U.S. is a Christian nation. As such, we must stand with persecuted Christians around the world.
“Our legislation will build upon the momentum of President Trump designating Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern and the recent US-Nigeria security framework agreement.”
The bill, labelled HR 7457, directs the US secretary of state to submit yearly reports to the foreign affairs committees of both the House of Representatives and the Senate detailing actions taken to address what it describes as Christian persecution in Nigeria.
Smith, who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Africa Subcommittee, stated that the US has an obligation to press Nigeria to confront systemic violence.
“The Nigerian government’s blatant denial of the religious persecution occurring within its borders has only enabled the religious-based violence in the country to fester, with Christian deaths and church attacks reaching unprecedented numbers,” Smith said.
The proposed legislation cites incidents including church destruction, abductions, sexual violence, and attacks on communities, estimating that between 50,000 and 125,000 Christians were killed from 2009 to 2025.
Moore said he travelled to Nigeria as part of an inquiry initiated by President Donald Trump.
“As part of the investigation President Trump asked me to lead, I visited Nigeria and witnessed firsthand the horrors our brothers and sisters in Christ face and saw the security challenges Nigeria faces,” Moore said.
He added that the legislation underscores that “the United States stands with our persecuted Christians”.
Tom Cole, a Republican representative from Oklahoma and chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, said protecting religious freedom globally is consistent with US values and interests.
Cole said the bill would strengthen efforts to ensure that “religious persecution will not be tolerated”.
The proposal also calls on the secretary of state to address what it terms “the hostile foreign exploitation” of illegal Chinese mining activities in Nigeria.
Other co-sponsors include Brian Mast, Republican representative from Florida and chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee; Mario Diaz-Balart, Republican representative from Florida; and Bill Huizenga, Republican representative from Michigan.
In November 2025, Trump designated Nigeria as a country of particular concern, a decision that permits the US executive branch to impose diplomatic and economic actions.
Trump also approved coordinated strikes with the Nigerian government against suspected militants on Christmas Day 2025.