US Senator Ted Cruz has accused Nigerian officials of being involved in enabling what he described as widespread killings of Christians across the country.
Cruz made the allegation on Tuesday while speaking at a Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee hearing focused on the United States’ counterterrorism efforts in Africa.
During his address, the lawmaker stated that Nigeria records the highest number of Christians killed because of their faith worldwide. He claimed that since 2009, over 50,000 Christians have lost their lives, with more than 20,000 churches, schools and religious institutions destroyed.
“Nigerian officials had been, unfortunately, complicit in facilitating these atrocities,” Cruz said.
He linked part of the violence to the enforcement of Sharia law in some northern states and criticised Nigerian authorities for what he described as a slow reaction to ongoing security issues.
Cruz also referred to an earlier meeting with Nigerian defence and security officials, noting that their promises to end the violence have not yet produced visible outcomes.
“I told them I would judge their commitment by the results. Those results have yet to materialise,” he said.
In October, the senator introduced the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025, which he said is designed to hold Nigerian government officials responsible for alleged involvement in attacks on Christians.
At the hearing, Cruz questioned Nick Checker, a senior official at the US State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs, about whether engagements between both nations had delivered meaningful results, especially following measures taken under US President Donald Trump.
Responding, Checker said Nigeria has demonstrated some level of cooperation with US demands since the designation came into effect, pointing to adjustments within the country’s security structure.
“We’ve seen some positive movements, including leadership changes in Nigerian security services, recruitment of additional troops, and deployment of forest guards to areas affected by violence,” he said.
Checker also highlighted an increase in the prosecution of individuals accused of terrorism and mentioned the creation of a bilateral high-level working group after discussions between Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and US Under-Secretary of State, Allison Hooker.
He added that recent US assistance to Nigerian security forces shows continued cooperation between both countries.
“We’ve seen positive steps by the Nigerians, but certainly more can be done,” Checker said, adding that the US would keep pushing for further action.
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