Inside Smith-Moore Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability bill

By Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja

United States’ Congressmen, Rep. Chris Smith and Riley Moore on Wednesday introduced new Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026 as part of efforts by U.S President Donald Trump against what he described as religious persecution in Nigeria.

The Bill also has the support of House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK), House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast (R-FL), Appropriations Subcommittee on National Security and Related Programs Chairman Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL), and Foreign Affairs South and East Asia Subcommittee Chairman Bill Huizenga (R-MI) as co-sponsors.

The bill introduced by Moore and Smith along with leading lawmakers on the House Appropriations Committee and House Foreign Affairs Committee will require the U.S. Secretary of State to compile and submit to Congress a comprehensive report on U.S. efforts to address the ongoing religious persecution and mass atrocities against Christians in Nigeria.

The Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026 was introduced in reaction to claims of religious persecution in Nigeria from by some members of the U.S Congress and President Donald Trump.

The new Smith-Moore bill mandated the U.S. Secretary of State to issue a report on assessment of Nigeria’s compliance with the International Religious Freedom Act, including specific actions taken, or not taken, by the Government of Nigeria to prevent persecution, prosecute perpetrators, repeal blasphemy laws, protect vulnerable communities, and facilitate the safe return of internally displaced persons.

Also to identify all individuals and entities sanctioned, or under consideration for sanction, under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act or the Entities of Particular Concern list.

The U.S Secretary of State ia also required to issue a report detailing co-investments and collaborative efforts between the Governments of Nigeria and the U.S. to provide and deliver humanitarian assistance to Christians displaced by the attacks from Fulani-ethnic militias, through faith-based or nongovernmental partners, including amounts, recipients, type of assistance provided, and measurable outcomes.

Also expected from the U.S Secretary of State under the Bill is an evaluation and description of historical, ongoing, and planned U.S. security assistance to Nigeria, and a comprehensive assessment of whether such assistance risks enabling or exacerbating religious persecution.

The Secretary is also expected to conduct an investigation into whether the Nigerian government is taking appropriate steps to cease enforcement of blasphemy laws, and to look into instances of non-Muslims, Muslims, and dissenters being subjected to Sharia law or blasphemy laws.

The Secretary is also expected to conduct an assessment of internally displaced persons (IDP) conditions, including safety, humanitarian needs, and prospects for return, recommendations for further executive actions or congressional authority deemed necessary and most helpful to halt the religious persecution and mass atrocities occurring in Nigeria.

He is also expected to conduct an evaluation of any steps taken by the Government of Nigeria during the reporting period to address religious persecution, dismantle extremist networks, prosecute attackers, reform security forces, or improve protection for at-risk communities.

Rep. Moore, the author of legislation said it is in support President Trump’s designation of Nigeria as a country of particular concern over alleged religious persecution.

“That is why I am proud to introduce the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026 with Representative Chris Smith. 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,” Rep. Moore said in a statement.

The U.S Congressman, however, applauded the Nigerian government for working in coordination and cooperation with the Trump Administration to address the security challenges throughout the country.

I stand ready to continue working to deepen and strengthen our relationship with Nigeria, as we work to save Christian lives,” Rep. Moore continued.

“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,” said Rep. Smith, who has chaired 13 congressional hearings on the religious persecution crisis in Nigeria.

“Now that President Trump has rightly redesignated Nigeria a ‘Country of Particular Concern’ (CPC), the United States 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,” Rep. Smith added.

“Inaction on the parts of both the Nigerian and U.S. governments only emboldens these radical Islamist thugs to inflict even more misery, suffering, and death upon Christians and non-radical Muslims in Nigeria. 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,” concluded Rep. Smith.