The United States government has announced a new visa restriction policy targeting Nigerians found to be involved in actions that undermine religious freedom, particularly those linked to the alleged persecution of Christians in the country.
This was disclosed by United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio in a post on X on Wednesday.
Rubio explained that the U.S. will restrict the visas of individuals who direct, support, finance or participate in activities that violate religious freedom.
The policy extends to government actors and non-state groups assessed to be responsible for religious persecution, including those operating within Nigeria.
He wrote, “The United States is taking decisive action in response to the atrocities and violence against Christians in Nigeria and around the world. The @StateDept will restrict U.S. visas for those who knowingly direct, authorize, fund, support, or carry out violations of religious freedom. This visa policy applies to Nigeria and other governments or individuals that persecute people for their religious beliefs.”
In a new statement released on the U.S. Department of State website on Wednesday, the government reiterated its stance.
“The United States is taking decisive action in response to the mass killings and violence against Christians by radical Islamic terrorists, Fulani ethnic militias, and other violent actors in Nigeria and beyond. A new policy under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act will allow the State Department to restrict visa issuance to individuals who have directed, authorized, significantly supported, participated in, or carried out violations of religious freedom and, where appropriate, their immediate family members.”
The statement added, “As President Trump made clear, the ‘United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening in Nigeria, and numerous other countries.’ This policy will apply to Nigeria and any other governments or individuals engaged in violations of religious freedom.”
The announcement comes amid repeated claims by United States President Donald Trump that there is Christian persecution in Nigeria.
Trump has stressed that Christian communities across the country are facing escalating violence. He described the scale of reported killings as alarming when compared with global data and said the situation demands urgent intervention.
Earlier, Trump, in a post on his Truth Social account a few weeks ago, instructed the U.S. War Department to prepare for possible actions in Nigeria.
He accused the Nigerian government of turning a blind eye to what he described as the killings of Christians across the country.
Trump warned that the United States would immediately halt all aid and assistance to Nigeria if the attacks on Christians continue.
He also indicated that America might intervene militarily to eliminate what he called “Islamic terrorists” responsible for the killings.
“If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S.A. will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities,” Trump wrote.
He further stated, “I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action. If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians! WARNING: THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT BETTER MOVE FAST!”
