By Hannah Hiester
Published February 11, 2026

             Several members of Congress from foreign affairs committees introduced legislation in the House of Representatives Feb. 10 to institute strategies holding Nigeria accountable for the ongoing persecution of Christians in the country.

             Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., who co-introduced the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026 with its author, Rep. Riley Moore, R-W.Va., stated in a press release that the legislation would require the U.S. secretary of state to provide Congress with a comprehensive report on U.S. involvement in combating the persecution in Nigeria. The report would also cover the Nigerian government’s efforts to comply with international religious freedom and human rights laws.  

             As Zeale News previously reported, Christians in Nigeria have been facing persecution at the hands of radical Islamic organizations for several years. Thousands of Christians have been killed, and their homes, churches, and livelihoods have been destroyed. Nine Catholics were abducted Feb. 6 while they were praying in their church, while a priest and 10 others were kidnapped Feb. 7, Zeale News reported.

             The country’s government tolerates the ongoing persecution, prompting U.S. President Donald Trump to designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) in October and carry out a strike on a Nigerian ISIS camp in December.

             Smith stated in the release that since Nigeria is now a CPC, the U.S. “has a responsibility to do its due diligence in ensuring that the Nigerian government is taking the proper steps to address and punish the systemic violence against Christians and non-radical Muslims by Islamist extremists, such as Boko Haram and Fulani terrorists.”

             Moore said that he better understood Nigerian Christians’ situation when he traveled to the country as part of an investigation into the persecution, adding that he “witnessed firsthand the horrors our brothers and sisters in Christ face and saw the security challenges Nigeria faces.”

             “That is why I am proud to introduce the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026 with Representative Chris Smith,” he said. “This legislation makes clear that the United States stands with our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ and seeks to help Nigeria address its many challenges.”

             According to the release, the Secretary of State’s report to Congress must include assessments of Nigeria’s compliance with international religious freedom law and cooperation with U.S. humanitarian efforts, investigations into whether Nigeria makes efforts to dismantle its blasphemy laws and address religious persecution, among other requirements.

             Smith stated in the release that if Nigeria and the U.S. do not act to stop the persecution, Christians and non-radical Muslims will continue to suffer “even more misery, suffering, and death.”

             He continued, “That is why it is paramount that the United States remain steadfast in its mission to promote and protect religious freedoms throughout the globe — by ensuring that we are doing all that we can to end this crisis, we set an important example for the rest of the international community.”


This article was published on February 11, 2026 and can be found online at: https://catholicvote.org/legislation-introduced-in-house-would-hold-nigeria-accountable-for-christian-persecution/