US to Place Visa Restriction on Sponsors of Christian Genocide in Nigeria

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

The United States is targeting sponsors of attacks on Christians in Nigeria for sanctions in its avowed plans to fight alleged genocide in Nigeria.

The announced punishment which include visa ban is also to be extended to the families of the sponsors and perpetrators of the attacks in Nigeria

The United States’ Department of State in a statement titled: “Combating Egregious Anti-Christian Violence in Nigeria and Globally,” announced “she 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.

The statement said: “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.

As President Trump had made it clear that the “United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening in Nigeria, and numerous other countries.”

According to the statement, this policy will apply to Nigeria and any other governments or individuals engaged in violations of religious freedom.

In a social media post some weeks back, Donald Trump had announced that: “Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter. I am hereby making Nigeria a “COUNTRY OF PARTICULAR CONCERN.”

He had added that: “When Christians, or any such group, is slaughtered like is happening in Nigeria (3,100 versus 4,476 Worldwide), something must be done! I am asking Congressman Riley Moore, together with Chairman Tom Cole and the House Appropriations Committee, to immediately look into this matter, and report back to me.”

Few days after his initial announcement, he had threatened to come gun -a-blazing to put a stop to the alleged Christian genocide in the country.

Nigerian government while admitting wide range killings in the country and insecurity, has consistently argued that Christians alone have not be targeted, but rather the killings have no religious line.

The government have equally applied for foreign assistance especially from American government to tackle the problem.