United States lawmakers have asked President Donald Trump to maintain visa sanctions on people accused of attacking Christians in Nigeria. They also want the president to block beef exports connected to armed herders.
The House Appropriations and Foreign Affairs Committees included these recommendations in a joint report about the alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria. The lawmakers released the document on Monday and submitted it directly to the White House.
The politicians stated that their findings came from a deep investigation. This process included interviews with experts, public hearings, and visits to Nigeria by a team of lawmakers working closely with the Trump administration.
“Nigeria has become the most dangerous place in the world to practice the Christian faith, as jihadist networks exploit weak enforcement and limited accountability to carry out sustained and coordinated violence against civilians,” the House members stated in a public release.
The lawmakers added that they saw the effects of the attacks during their visits.
“Committee members witnessed firsthand the devastating consequences for innocent communities, regional stability, and U.S. national security interests,” the statement noted.
The report advised Trump to create a bilateral agreement with Nigeria. This deal would aim to protect vulnerable Christian communities and wipe out jihadist terror groups. The proposed pact would also require both countries to increase economic cooperation and reduce the influence of China and Russia in the region.
The lawmakers suggested that the United States should provide technical support to help Nigeria stop armed militias. They proposed a program to handle illegal weapons and allow farmers to protect themselves legally.
Furthermore, the American politicians recommended stopping additional funding to Nigeria until the country takes real action to end the targeted violence. They asked the US Treasury Department to create measures that will strengthen the Nigerian financial system and protect American security interests.
The report also demanded the repeal of Sharia law and criminal anti-blasphemy laws in Nigeria. The lawmakers advised using economic pressure to force herders to give up their weapons.
One suggested method is blocking the export of beef and other cattle products to markets in Ivory Coast, Ghana, South Africa, and Senegal.
Earlier this month, some Republican lawmakers introduced a bill to label Fulani ethnic militias as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. The bill called for visa bans and asset freezes on specific individuals and groups responsible for severe religious freedom violations in the country.
