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The All Progressives Congress (APC) has condemned the proposed visa bans and asset freezes recommended by United States lawmakers against ex-Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, over alleged violations of religious freedoms in Nigeria.
Recall that a bill titled ‘The Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026,’ was introduced in the US House of Representatives by Rep Chris Smith alongside Reps Riley Moore, Brian Mast and Bill Huizenga.
However, the APC, while speaking to Punch, criticised the bill, insisting that the allegations alone could not justify curtailing Kwankwaso’s freedom of movement without a fair hearing and due process.
The APC Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, described the United States as a symbol of democracy and cautioned its government against taking action solely based on allegations.
He stated, “I think they (the United States of America) cannot just act on allegations. America is the beacon of democracy. America is the beacon of freedom, and it ought to be seen to be behaving in that manner.
“Now, whatever the allegation against former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, and others is, it remains an allegation until it is proven.
“They cannot, on the strength of an allegation alone, go ahead to suggest a ban or restriction on the freedom of movement of an individual without substantiating it, without subjecting him to a fair hearing and trial.
“So I think that is a wrong move. It infringes on his right to a fair hearing, and I don’t support that.”
The US Congress, in the bill, issued one of its strongest condemnations yet of religious persecution in the country, declaring that Nigeria accounts for 82 per cent of all Christians martyred globally and warning that the scale, coordination and impunity surrounding the violence now threaten regional stability and US foreign policy interests.The bill calls for targeted sanctions on individuals and networks responsible for severe violations, and urges their designation as Foreign Terrorist Organisations.
The legislation specifically directs the Secretary of State to determine whether certain Fulani-ethnic militias qualify as Foreign Terrorist Organisations under section 219 of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act.
