US Blacklists Nigeria For Violation Of Religious Freedom

On Monday, December 7, 2020, the government of the United States added Nigeria to its religious freedom blacklist. With this development, the US can now act through sanctions if the Nigerian government fails to improve the situation. US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, noted that Nigeria which is a strong ally of the US is a “Country of Particular Concern” under the 1998 International Religious Freedom Act owing to its involvement in ”systematic, ongoing, egregious violations of religious freedom.

Today the U.S. designates Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, Nigeria, the DPRK, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan as countries of concern under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 for engaging systematic, ongoing, egregious religious freedom violations…The U.S. is unwavering in its commitment to religious freedom. No country or entity should be allowed to persecute people with impunity because of their beliefs. These annual designations show that when religious freedom is attacked, we will act

Mike Pompeo

Nigeria now joins other countries like China, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, among others in the list of black listed nations by the US for violation of religious freedom.

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Linda Ikeji

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