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‘Sanction Boko Haram, ISWAP Over Attacks’ – US Agency Tells Nigeria

‘Sanction Boko Haram, ISWAP Over Attacks’ – US Agency Tells Nigeria.
Report accuses Nigerian government of failing to curb religiously motivated attacks.
USCIRF recommends Nigeria’s designation as a Country of Particular Concern.

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has called on the U.S. government to appoint a Special Envoy for Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin to address ongoing religious freedom violations and the rising threat of violence against religious communities.

In its annual report released in March 2025, the commission urged the administration of former President Donald Trump to intensify diplomatic efforts by designating a Special Envoy to tackle the crisis in the region.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that USCIRF accused the Nigerian government under President Bola Tinubu, as well as various state governments, of tolerating or failing to adequately respond to violent attacks carried out by nonstate actors who justify their actions on religious grounds.

The commission highlighted Islamist extremist groups, Fulani militants, and other armed factions as key perpetrators of religiously motivated violence.

The report also called on the U.S. State Department to designate Nigeria, along with Afghanistan, India, and Vietnam, as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC). Additionally, it recommended renewing the CPC status for 12 other countries, including China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia.

Furthermore, USCIRF advised keeping Algeria and Azerbaijan on the Special Watch List (SWL) while adding 10 more countries, including Egypt, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey. It also recommended that terrorist organizations such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) be redesignated as Entities of Particular Concern (EPCs), alongside al-Shabaab and the Houthis.

The report condemned Nigeria’s continued enforcement of blasphemy laws, which impose prison sentences of up to two years for acts deemed insulting to religion. In several northern states, stricter blasphemy laws have led to the imprisonment of individuals, with at least five detainees still incarcerated by the end of the year, including Mubarak Bala and Yahaya Sharif-Aminu.

USCIRF further highlighted government-backed harassment of indigenous religious communities in both Muslim-majority and Christian-majority areas. It cited the Anambra State government’s demolition of an indigenous shrine in July, following calls from the governor and Catholic bishops to eliminate “neo-paganism.”

The report painted a grim picture of religious freedom in Nigeria, stating that in 2024, authorities failed to curb the activities of groups such as Boko Haram, ISWAP, and Fulani militants, which have been responsible for widespread religiously motivated violence.

Sanction Boko Haram – US Agency

Several incidents were documented, including the killing of 14 people, including a pastor, by JAS insurgents in Yobe State in January, and the kidnapping of 160 Christian children by Ansaru gunmen in Niger State in May. The commission criticized Nigerian security forces for their slow response to such attacks, which often led to further harm for vulnerable religious communities.

Additionally, the report estimated that about 30,000 Fulani bandits operate in Nigeria’s northwest, frequently targeting Christian communities and disrupting agricultural activities.