The United States (US) has introduced new visa restrictions targeting individuals implicated in violations of religious freedom in Nigeria, with the measures also extending to their immediate family members.
The policy was announced on Wednesday in a statement issued by the Department of State, titled “Combating Egregious Anti-Christian Violence in Nigeria and Globally.”
Washington said the decision followed persistent attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria, including mass killings, abductions and destruction of property linked to radical Islamist groups, Fulani militias and other armed actors.
According to the statement, the restrictions are being implemented under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the US Immigration and Nationality Act.
The provision empowers the State Department to deny visas to anyone who has “directed, authorised, significantly supported, participated in, or carried out violations of religious freedom,” a policy that could also be applied to their immediate relatives.
Furthermore, the department referenced comments previously made by former President Donald Trump, who argued that the United States “cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening in Nigeria, and numerous other countries.”
The new measures, it added, would apply not only to Nigeria but also to governments and individuals elsewhere who are found to be involved in religious persecution.
Recall that the announcement comes amid heightened global scrutiny of attacks on religious groups in Nigeria, with international observers warning that the pattern of violence shows little sign of abating.
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