U.S. Senator Ted Cruz has intensified his criticism of the Nigerian government, calling for targeted sanctions against officials he believes have failed to address the escalating wave of attacks on Christian communities across the country.
The outspoken senator issued the statement on Monday via his official X account, where he accused Nigerian authorities of neglecting their duty to protect vulnerable citizens. According to him, widespread killings continue to occur because those responsible are neither confronted nor prosecuted, creating what he described as an environment of impunity.
Ted Cruz lauds Trump’s designation of Nigeria as CPC
Senator Cruz expressed appreciation to former U.S. President Donald Trump, applauding what he termed the former president’s “strong leadership” in previously designating Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) over the issue of religious freedom.
He further noted that he had already introduced legislation aimed at reaffirming this designation due to what he called ongoing “atrocities” against Christians in Nigeria.
Cruz calls for sanctions
Expanding on his position, Cruz insisted that the next decisive step should involve imposing sanctions on Nigerian government officials deemed responsible for failing to curb the violence or bring perpetrators to justice.
His comments echo growing concerns among international observers about rising insecurity in several parts of Nigeria, particularly in communities where religious and ethnic tensions have worsened in recent years.
Human rights advocates and religious groups have repeatedly called on global powers to intervene, arguing that silence or inaction would further endanger vulnerable populations. These groups maintain that the attacks are becoming increasingly brutal and that the government has not done enough to identify or prosecute those behind them.
The Nigerian federal government, however, continues to deny allegations of religious persecution, insisting that the violence is largely driven by criminal activity, land disputes, and other socio-economic factors rather than any organized campaign against a specific faith group.
Despite this stance, Cruz’s renewed push for punitive measures has amplified international pressure, drawing more attention to Nigeria’s handling of security issues and raising questions about how the government will respond to heightened global scrutiny.
Sharing his concerns, Cruz wrote …
“Christians are being mass slaughtered in Nigeria.
Thank you to President Trump for his strong leadership and action in responding to this crisis.
I filed legislation to designate Nigeria for these atrocities, and the next steps are targeted sanctions on the government officials who create the environment for the mass murders and then fail to take action against the perpetrators.”
See post…
