A United States lawmaker, Ted Cruz, has sharply criticised Nigerian authorities over insecurity, accusing government officials of complicity in violence against Christians and describing their stance on US intervention as “hypocritical” and “infuriating.”
Speaking during a congressional address on Tuesday, Cruz alleged that more than 50,000 Christians have been killed in Nigeria since 2009, blaming what he described as sustained attacks by Islamist extremist groups.
“More Christians are killed for their faith in Nigeria than anywhere else in the world,” he said, adding that over 20,000 churches, schools and religious institutions have been destroyed within the same period.
The senator also referenced recent incidents during the Easter period, noting that several Christians were reportedly killed or kidnapped, further underscoring what he described as worsening insecurity.
Cruz accused Nigerian officials at both state and federal levels of failing to act decisively, and in some cases enabling the violence through policies and inaction.
“At the state level, a number of states implement blasphemy and Sharia laws, while at the federal level, the government looks the other way to Islamic violence,” he said.
He argued that such conditions have contributed to the persistence and escalation of attacks.
The US lawmaker also revisited his proposed legislation, the Nigerian Religious Freedom Accountability Act, which seeks to designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) and impose sanctions on officials linked to religious rights violations.
According to him, US authorities already have sufficient intelligence to identify those responsible and should take stronger action.
Cruz disclosed that he had previously met with Nigerian security officials who pledged to address the violence, but expressed disappointment over what he described as a lack of measurable progress.
“I told them I would judge their commitment by results. Those results have yet to materialise,” he said.
He further referenced actions by President Donald Trump, noting that the United States had designated Nigeria under the CPC framework and taken steps to target extremist groups, including ISIS affiliates, in response to attacks.
While Nigerian authorities have at various times indicated support for international assistance, Cruz criticised what he described as contradictory positions.
“Although the Nigerian government says it welcomed and even requested these actions, I find their statements to be somewhere between hypocritical and infuriating,” he said.
He called for a reassessment of the situation and urged the US government to intensify efforts to curb the violence and ensure accountability.