NNPP rejects Kwankwaso sanctions bill in US Congress, questioning allegations of religious freedom violations and fairness of the listing

The New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, on Wednesday rejected the Kwankwaso sanctions bill proposed before the United States Congress, which named Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, National Leader of the party, among individuals recommended for targeted sanctions over alleged religious freedom violations in Nigeria.

Also read: NBA to Petition Police Over Kwankwaso Judicial Claims

The proposed legislation, titled the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026, HR 7457, was introduced by Representative Riley Moore of West Virginia and co-sponsored by Representative Chris Smith of New Jersey.

The bill recommends visa bans and asset freezes under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act against individuals and entities accused of involvement in religious freedom abuses.

Those listed in the proposal include Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Fulani-ethnic nomad militias, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, and Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore.

Addressing journalists at a press conference in Abuja, NNPP National Publicity Secretary, Ladipo Johnson, described the inclusion of Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso as unjustified and politically questionable.

Ladipo Johnson said the party viewed the development as a contrived action against a figure with no record of religious extremism and urged a thorough investigation before conclusions were drawn.

Ladipo Johnson recalled that months earlier, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso had publicly reacted to the decision by United States President Donald Trump to redesignate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern over alleged religious persecution.

According to Ladipo Johnson, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso had cautioned against oversimplified characterisations of Nigeria’s security challenges and emphasised the country’s sovereignty and complex security realities.

In a post on X referenced by the party, Representative Riley Moore had questioned Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso’s role in the implementation of Sharia law in Kano State and alleged complicity in religious rights concerns.

Kano State, during the tenure of Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso as governor, implemented Islamic legal codes, joining several northern states including Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina, Yobe, Jigawa, and Borno.

Questioning the basis of the allegation, the NNPP asked why other governors who introduced similar legal frameworks were not named in the proposed sanctions and whether the action was selective.

The party also pointed to what it described as Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso’s longstanding relationships with Christian leaders and his record in combating Boko Haram activities in Kano State while in office.

Ladipo Johnson added that Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso had, in previous elections, aligned politically with Christian figures, including running with Bishop Isaac Idahosa as his vice-presidential candidate in 2023.

The bill further directs the United States Secretary of State to determine whether certain Fulani militias qualify as foreign terrorist organisations under United States law and recommends humanitarian assistance for affected communities in Nigeria’s Middle Belt.

Debates over religious freedom have intensified amid persistent violence in parts of northern Nigeria and the Middle Belt.

In late 2025, President Donald Trump redesignated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern, a move rejected by the Nigerian government, which maintains that the nation’s security challenges are not solely religious in nature.

Also read: Kwankwaso Declares ‘Betrayal Day’ over Kano Defection

The proposed legislation has yet to be considered by the full United States Congress.