U.S. to restrict visas for Nigerians ‘responsible for violating religious freedom’

U.S. to restrict visas for Nigerians ‘responsible for violating religious freedom’

By: Our Reporter

The United States has announced new visa restrictions targeting Nigerians accused of undermining religious freedom.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the new visa restrictions in a statement Wednesday, saying the U.S. is taking “decisive action” in response to mass killings and violence against Christians by radical Islamic terrorists.

The new policy 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.”

This policy will apply to Nigeria and any other governments or individuals engaged in violations of religious freedom.

Earlier in November, the State Department officially designated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” alleging the government of Nigeria was engaging and tolerating systematic, ongoing, and egregious religious freedom violations.

President Donald Trump then ordered the Pentagon to begin planning for potential military action in Nigeria as he stepped up his criticism that the government was failing to rein in the persecution of Christians in the west African country.

“If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the USA will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities,” Trump posted on social media. “I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action. If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians!”

Notably, Nigerian officials have denied the claims of targeted religious persecution and state that the violence is a complex issue affecting all faiths, often stemming from ethnic and resource conflicts.

U.S. to restrict visas for Nigerians ‘responsible for violating religious freedom’