Ted Cruz Accuses Nigerian Officials Over Alleged Attacks on Christians

US Senator Ted Cruz

Ted Cruz Accuses Nigerian Officials Over Alleged Attacks on Christians

United States Senator Ted Cruz has accused Nigerian government officials of being complicit in attacks against Christians in Nigeria, making the allegation during a Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee hearing on U.S. counterterrorism strategy in Africa.

Cruz said Nigeria has recorded what he described as one of the highest numbers of Christian deaths globally, claiming that since 2009, more than 50,000 Christians have been killed and over 20,000 churches, schools, and religious facilities destroyed in attacks across the country. He alleged that “Nigerian officials had been complicit in facilitating these atrocities,” and linked part of the insecurity to the implementation of Sharia law in some northern states, while also criticising what he described as a slow government response to worsening insecurity.

The senator also revealed that he has introduced the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025, a proposed legislation designed to hold Nigerian officials accountable over alleged involvement in or failure to prevent attacks on Christians. Cruz said he had previously engaged Nigerian defence and security officials who assured him that the violence would be addressed, but argued that those commitments have not yet delivered results. “I told them I would judge their commitment by the results. Those results have yet to materialise,” he said.

READ ALSO:

During the hearing, a senior official from the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs, Nick Chèeker, responded by acknowledging ongoing cooperation between the United States and Nigeria on security matters. He noted improvements such as restructuring within Nigeria’s security agencies, increased troop recruitment, deployment of forest guards to vulnerable areas, and the establishment of a bilateral high-level working group following discussions between Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and U.S. officials.

The U.S. official also pointed to increased prosecution of suspected terrorists and continued American support for Nigerian security forces, while stressing that “more can be done” to improve security outcomes in the country.

The Nigerian federal government has not yet issued an official response to Cruz’s latest comments. However, former Information Minister, Lai Mohammed, has previously stated that more Muslims than Christians have been killed in violence linked to terrorist groups such as Boko Haram.

Nigeria continues to face complex security challenges involving Boko Haram, ISWAP insurgents, banditry, and communal conflicts affecting both Christians and Muslims, particularly in the North and Middle Belt regions. Analysts say the crisis is driven by multiple factors, including terrorism and criminality, rather than a single religious cause.