US Senator, Ted Cruz accuses Nigerian officials of complicity in attacks on Christians
Cruz Alleges Complicity of Nigerian Officials in Attacks on Christians
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ted Cruz has alleged that certain Nigerian government officials are complicit in violent attacks against Christians in Nigeria. Cruz made the statement during a Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee hearing on Tuesday, which examined the U.S. counterterrorism strategy in Africa.
Efforts to obtain a formal response from the Nigerian Federal Government on Wednesday were unsuccessful. However, former Minister of Information Lai Mohammed, speaking from the United Kingdom, asserted that insurgent activities by Boko Haram have resulted in a higher number of Muslim fatalities than those of Christians.
During the hearing, Cruz emphasized that Nigeria accounts for the highest number of Christians killed worldwide due to their faith. He claimed that since 2009, more than 50,000 Christians have been murdered, alongside the destruction of over 20,000 churches, schools, and other religious sites.
“Nigerian officials had been, unfortunately, complicit in facilitating these atrocities,” Cruz stated. He attributed the violence partly to the implementation of Sharia law in some northern states and criticized Nigerian authorities for their slow response to ongoing security challenges.
Cruz also recalled a previous meeting with Nigerian defense and security officials, in which they provided assurances of decisive action to address the violence. He noted that those commitments have yet to produce meaningful results. “I told them I would judge their commitment by the results. Those results have yet to materialize,” he said.
In response to the situation, Cruz revealed that he introduced the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025 in October. The proposed legislation aims to hold Nigerian officials accountable for their alleged involvement in attacks against Christians.
