Former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has been specifically named in a proposed United States bill seeking sanctions against individuals and groups accused of involvement in religious freedom violations in Nigeria.
The proposed legislation, titled the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026, was introduced on Tuesday by US Congressman Riley Moore (R-West Virginia) and co-sponsored by Rep. Chris Smith (R-New Jersey).
The bill recommends targeted measures such as visa bans and asset freezes under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act.
Kwankwaso is listed alongside Fulani-ethnic nomad militias and organisations including the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) and Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore.
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The bill also directs the US Secretary of State to determine whether certain Fulani militias meet the criteria for designation as foreign terrorist organisations under US law.
Beyond sanctions, the legislation proposes that the United States provide humanitarian assistance, co-funded by the Nigerian government, through trusted faith-based and non-governmental organisations operating in the Middle Belt, an area heavily affected by violence.
Moore said the move builds on previous US actions, including Nigeria’s designation as a “Country of Particular Concern” over religious freedom issues and ongoing US–Nigeria security cooperation.
The development comes amid heightened international attention on Nigeria’s security crisis, particularly violence affecting communities in the Middle Belt and parts of the North.
While US lawmakers frame the bill as a step to protect persecuted communities, the Nigerian government has previously rejected claims that the conflict is purely religious, describing the situation as complex and driven by multiple factors.