United States Senator, Ted Cruz has alleged that some officials of the Nigerian government are complicit in attacks targeting Christians in the country.
Cruz made the claim during a Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee hearing on Tuesday, which focused on the United States’ counterterrorism strategy in Africa.
Attempts to obtain an official response from the Federal Government on Wednesday were unsuccessful.
However, former Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, speaking in the United Kingdom, maintained that insurgent activities by Boko Haram have claimed more Muslims than Christians.
At the hearing, Cruz asserted that Nigeria records the highest number of Christians killed on account of their faith globally.
He claimed that since 2009, over 50,000 Christians have been killed, while more than 20,000 churches, schools, and other religious structures have been destroyed.
“Nigerian officials had been, unfortunately, complicit in facilitating these atrocities,” Cruz stated.
He partly attributed the violence to the implementation of Sharia law in some northern states and criticised Nigerian authorities for what he described as a slow response to the country’s security challenges.
The senator also referenced a prior engagement with Nigerian defence and security officials, during which assurances were given that decisive action would be taken to curb the violence. He, however, noted that those commitments have yet to yield tangible results.
“I told them I would judge their commitment by the results. Those results have yet to materialise,” he added.
Cruz further disclosed that he introduced the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025 in October, explaining that the proposed legislation is intended to hold Nigerian officials accountable over alleged involvement in attacks against Christians.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
I'm dedicated to creating high-quality content that informs, inspires, and delights. If you have any questions or suggestions, don't hesitate to get in touch. Happy reading!
