The US State Department announced new visa restrictions on Nigerians on Wednesday, citing alleged anti-Christian violence and growing concerns about religious freedom.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the policy, enacted under the Immigration and Nationality Act, targets individuals accused of directing or supporting violations of religious freedom, including their immediate family members.
He said the Trump administration is acting in response to what it describes as mass killings of Christians by radical militants, Fulani militias and other violent groups operating in Nigeria and neighbouring regions.
The measure follows President Donald Trump’s recent threat to send US forces into Nigeria unless the government halts what he called the killing of Christians by terrorist groups.
Trump also designated Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern,” accusing authorities of failing to stop what he described as a campaign of “Christian genocide.”
Nigerian officials strongly rejected the accusations, insisting that violence in the country stems from criminality, land disputes and competition over resources rather than religious targeting.
Information Minister Mohammed Idris Malagi told Al Jazeera that both Christian and Muslim communities have suffered attacks by extremist groups across the country.
Nigeria continues to confront multiple security challenges, including assaults by Boko Haram, Daesh-affiliated factions, armed bandits and recurring clashes between herders and local communities.
The nation’s diverse population includes more than 200 ethnic groups, with roughly equal representation of Muslims and Christians, according to the Pew Research Center.
Trump has repeatedly highlighted what he views as persecution of white and Christian communities globally, cutting most asylum categories except for White South Africans, a group he claims faces genocide despite widespread rejection of that assertion by international observers.
