United States Senator Ted Cruz has accused Nigerian government policies of creating conditions that allow the persecution and alleged killings of Christians across the country.
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In a post shared on his X account on Friday, the Texas senator criticised Nigerian authorities for fostering an unsafe environment for religious minorities, claiming that government actions have enabled violence against Christian communities. Cruz stated that Nigerian officials are aware that their policies, including the enforcement of sharia law and tolerance of Islamist violence, have contributed to an environment in which Christians face persecution and, in some cases, lethal attacks.
The senator’s statement comes amid ongoing international concern about attacks on Christian communities, particularly in northern Nigeria and the Middle Belt. Human rights organisations such as Open Doors, Amnesty International, and the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom have repeatedly raised alarms over the increasing insecurity and sectarian violence in these regions.
Cruz made his remarks in response to comments by the African Union Commission Chairman, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, who dismissed allegations of genocide in Nigeria during a briefing at the United Nations headquarters. Youssouf stated that violence in northern Nigeria does not resemble atrocities witnessed in countries such as Sudan or eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, and emphasised that the first victims of Boko Haram attacks are often Muslims rather than Christians. He described the situation as highly complex and cautioned against simplifying the narrative into a single perspective.
Senator Cruz has been a consistent critic of the Nigerian government’s handling of religious freedom, previously calling for stronger U.S. measures, including the possibility of sanctions or the reinstatement of Nigeria on the list of Countries of Particular Concern, from which it was removed in 2021.
The Nigerian government has repeatedly rejected claims that violence against Christians constitutes persecution, insisting that much of the unrest stems from criminal activity, banditry, and disputes between farmers and herders, rather than religious motivations. Officials have also highlighted ongoing investments in security and counter-extremism measures as evidence of efforts to address thNigeria’s Sharia Law, Other Policies Create Room For Christian Persecution, Slaughter – US Senator Ted Cruze problem.
