The United States on Wednesday announced new visa restrictions on people in Nigeria who are believed to direct, fund, support or carry out actions against Christians and other groups for their religious beliefs. The order was made public by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio through a post on X.
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The decision comes after President Donald Trump named Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern in late October. He made the declaration after saying that Christians in Nigeria face deadly attacks and that groups behind the violence are not being stopped. He also asked key members of the U.S. Congress to study the situation and report back to him.
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Rubio said the U.S. government will no longer allow anyone involved in religious attacks to enter the country. He explained that the new visa rules apply not only to Nigeria but also to any government officials or individuals in other nations found to be involved in such acts.
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After Trump’s move, several U.S. lawmakers backed him. They expressed worry about rising attacks, kidnappings and killings linked to religious tensions in Nigeria. One of the lawmakers, Riley Moore, reacted to the abduction of children and teachers from St. Mary Catholic School in Niger State. He said the kidnapping showed how unsafe many Christians have become in parts of the country and pressed for more attention from world leaders.
Other U.S. lawmakers also raised concerns during a joint congressional briefing. They said the Nigerian government was not doing enough to protect citizens and claimed that those behind the attacks often act without fear of punishment. Congressman Chris Smith, who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Africa Subcommittee, said Nigerian leaders must take stronger steps to stop religious violence. He accused the government of slowing down efforts to deal with the crisis.
The new visa restrictions come as pressure builds on Nigeria to address rising insecurity, especially attacks linked to religion. The U.S. government says it is ready to take further steps if the situation does not improve.
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