NEWS & POLITICS
Ted Cruz urges accountability for Christian persecution in Nigeria
American senator Ted Cruz has accused Nigerian officials of ignoring and even facilitating the mass killings of Christians by Islamic Jihadists.
Noluthando Buthelezi
ABUJA, Nigeria - 24 Sept (Running Africa) - His statement is in response to reports published by various publications including Reuters thatmore than 5,000 Nigerians fled into Cameroon after Boko Haram militants attacked communities near the border. Pressing the officials to protect the people from persecution, Cruz warned that it is time for those responsible to be held accountable for the attacks.
The senator also promoteda new piece of legislation known as the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act, which would sanction government officials in support of, or mildly tolerant of religious killing.
The Act would require the U.S. Secretary of State to identifyany officials who promoted or enforced Nigerian blasphemy laws. These include legislative action, public advocacy, or tolerance of violence by non-state actors who invoke religious justifications to commit attacks.
Furthermore, it would propose that Nigeria be re-designated as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC)under the International Religious Freedom Act; a designation the U.S. gave Nigeria in 2020, before removing it in in November 2021.
Speaking to Fox News, Cruz claimed that over 50,000 Christians have been killed in Nigeria since 2009, and more than 20,000 churches and Christian schools have been destroyed during that period.
Nigerian Minister of Information Mohammed Idris responded to the accusations, saying he rejects Cruz's assertions.
"No Nigerian officials will willingly, deliberately indulge in the act of siding with violent extremists to target any particular religion in this country. This is absolutely false," he said.
Meanwhile, the Center for Religious Liberty at the Family Research Council (FRC) director Arielle Del Turco has thrown her weight behind Cruz, commending him for speaking out against the ongoing persecution of Christians in Nigeria, adding that the country should be ashamed of its actions.
"Senator Cruz's comments clearly struck a nerve with the Nigerian government, and they should," she remarked.
Del Turco called on United States President Donald Trump to enact the recommendation in Cruz's bill and designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern on religious freedom.
