United States Senator Ted Cruz has accused Nigerian government officials of complicity in what he described as the mass killing of Christians, alleging that authorities have failed to decisively address persistent insecurity in the country.
Cruz made the claims on Tuesday during a Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee hearing on “The US approach to counterterrorism in Africa,” where he asserted that Nigeria records the highest number of Christians killed for their faith globally.
According to him, since 2009, over 50,000 Christians have been killed by extremist groups, while more than 20,000 churches, schools and religious institutions have been destroyed.
He further alleged that some Nigerian officials, at both local and federal levels, have enabled the violence, while also criticising what he described as the slow pace of response by authorities to worsening insecurity.
The lawmaker linked part of the crisis to the implementation of Sharia law in several northern states, arguing that it has contributed to religious tensions and violence.
Cruz disclosed that he had previously engaged Nigerian defence and security officials, noting that assurances given during those meetings have yet to translate into tangible outcomes.
In October, the senator introduced the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025, a proposed law aimed at holding Nigerian officials accountable for alleged violations of religious freedom.
During the hearing, Cruz queried US State Department officials on whether engagements with Nigeria had yielded results following actions taken by the administration of former President Donald Trump over concerns about religious persecution.
Responding, a senior official at the State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs, Nick Checker, said Nigeria has shown a degree of cooperation with the United States, citing reforms within the country’s security architecture.
Checker noted recent steps including leadership changes in security agencies, the recruitment of 50,000 additional troops, deployment of forest guards to violence-prone regions such as the Middle Belt, and increased prosecution of suspected terrorists.
He also referenced the establishment of a bilateral high-level working group following engagements between a Nigerian delegation led by National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu and a US delegation headed by Allison Hooker.
While acknowledging progress, the US official maintained that more efforts are required, adding that Washington would continue to press Nigeria to intensify actions against insecurity and protect vulnerable communities.
