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BY NEWS DESK, OCTOBER 09, 2025 | 11:02 AM
The House of Representatives has unanimously rejected moves by the US Senate to designate Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern (CPC)”.
NAN reports that a ”Country of Particular Concern” is a designation by the Secretary of State of a nation engaged in severe violations of religious freedom under IRFA.
On Sept. 9, a bill titled Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025 (S.2747) was introduced in the US Senate.
The bill seeks the US Secretary of State to designate Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) and to impose sanctions on Nigerian officials under Executive Order 13818 (Global Magnitsky) and related authorities.
The House of Represatives resolution was taken after a motion of urgent national importance was moved by the Deputy Speaker, Rep. Benjamin Kalu, raising alarm over the consequences of such move by US Senate.
Moving the motion, Kalu described Nigeria as country with respect for rights to worship and human dignity and protection.
He dismissed insinuations that the security lapses in the country were hinged on religious acrimony and violations.
He noted that the Nigeria’s constitution guarantees freedom of thought, conscience and religion and bars adoption of a state religion.
He said that the house should therefore reject outrightly narratives that frame Nigeria’s security crisis as a singularly religious conflict or as state-sponsored persecution.
The Deputy Speaker however reaffirmed Nigeria’s constitutional protections for freedom of religion and belief.
Contributing, the Majority Leader, Prof. Julius Ihonvhere blamed the move by the US Senate on some Nigerians who have deliberately chosen to de-market the country.
Ihonvhere called on the lawmakers to ensure that such mis-informations and false narratives were dismissed by presenting facts to the US Senate.
Similarly, Rep. Wole Oke called for urgent moves to rewrite the false narratives against Nigeria and nip in the bud any move by US to sanction Nigeria.
In the same vein, Rep. Ahmed Jaha, representing Chibok Federal Constituency of Borno State, stressed the need for the lawmakers to protect the international image of Nigeria.
Jaha who commended the deputy speaker for moving the motion, called for amendments in the motion.
Adopting the motion, the Speaker, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas referred it to the committees on Foreign Affairs, and Police for further legislative actions.
NAN
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