The Chairman of the United States Senate Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health Policy, Senator Ted Cruz, has alleged that officials of the Nigerian government are complicit in what he described as a “genocidal massacre” of Christians across the country. Cruz, who represents the state of Texas and is currently serving his third term in the U.S. Senate, made the assertion in a post on his official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Tuesday.
In the post, the Republican lawmaker claimed that the administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump is aware of those responsible for the killing of tens of thousands of Christians and the destruction of churches and schools in Nigeria.
“The United States knows who those people are, and I intend to hold them accountable,” Cruz declared.
The senator lamented the mass killings and destruction of Christian communities by terrorist groups in Nigeria since 2009, stating that the violence has reached genocidal proportions. According to him, over 50,000 Christians have been killed and thousands of churches and Christian schools destroyed over the past decade.
“Since 2009, over 50,000 Christians in Nigeria have been massacred, and over 18,000 churches and 2,000 Christian schools have been destroyed,” Cruz said.
“It is the result of decisions made by specific people, in specific places, at specific times—and it says a great deal about who is lashing out now that a light is being shone on these issues.”
The Texas senator accused those behind the killings of attempting to silence him for exposing what he called “a systematic persecution of Christians.” He further alleged that both Nigeria’s federal and state governments have enforced laws and policies that promote religious intolerance.
“Nigeria’s federal government and a dozen state governments enforce blasphemy laws in their criminal and sharia codes, and they ignore or facilitate mob violence targeting Christians,” he alleged.
Cruz’s statement comes days after he introduced a bill in the U.S. Senate aimed at combating religious persecution and holding accountable individuals or government officials responsible for what he described as anti-Christian violence in Nigeria. The proposed legislation seeks to impose targeted sanctions on officials complicit in religious persecution and calls for Nigeria to be redesignated as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) under the International Religious Freedom Act.
Speaking in a separate interview with Fox News Digital, Cruz reiterated that the ongoing violence against Christians in Nigeria was not accidental but a deliberate outcome of policies and decisions taken by people in authority.
“The alleged Christian genocide in Nigeria is a result of decisions made by specific persons in the country, and I intend to hold them accountable,” he said.
The U.S. lawmaker’s comments have drawn renewed attention to Nigeria’s worsening security situation, particularly in parts of the Middle Belt and the North where armed groups and terrorists have repeatedly attacked villages, churches, and communities. Human rights organisations, including the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), have documented thousands of deaths linked to sectarian and terrorist violence in recent years, though Nigerian authorities reject the label of “genocide.”
In September, Cruz joined four other Republican senators—Ted Budd, Pete Ricketts, Josh Hawley, and James Lankford—in a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, urging the Trump administration to reinstate Nigeria’s designation as a Country of Particular Concern. The senators cited escalating violence and alleged government complicity in attacks against Christians and other religious minorities.
“We strongly urge the administration to use its presidential authority under the International Religious Freedom Act to redesignate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern,” the letter read in part.
The lawmakers accused Nigerian authorities of “turning a blind eye” to persecution, asserting that the country has become one of the world’s most dangerous places for Christians.
Cruz also commended former President Donald Trump for what he described as his “courageous leadership” in previously designating Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern in 2020, a status later removed during the Biden administration.
“Thank you to President Trump for his leadership in imposing the designation, and more broadly, for fighting to stop the murder of Christians in Nigeria,” Cruz wrote.
He pledged that in the coming weeks, he would name specific Nigerian officials allegedly responsible for enabling or turning a blind eye to the violence.
“Now we should take the next step and hold Nigerian officials accountable. I intend to be very explicit about who they are in the coming days and weeks,” Cruz added.
The Nigerian government has consistently rejected U.S. claims of religious persecution, insisting that ongoing violence in the country is driven by terrorism, banditry, and communal conflicts rather than religion. Officials in Abuja argue that victims of insecurity cut across all religious and ethnic groups, including Muslims and Christians alike.
In recent weeks, Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, and National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, have both dismissed claims of targeted killings of Christians, insisting that the government is fighting criminal elements irrespective of faith.
However, Cruz’s latest comments are likely to further strain diplomatic relations between Abuja and Washington, especially amid growing American legislative interest in Nigeria’s internal security and human rights record.
Observers say the renewed push by U.S. lawmakers like Cruz could trigger sanctions or restrictions against Nigerian officials if Washington formally reclassifies Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” again.
For now, Cruz’s statement continues to resonate among international human rights groups, Christian advocacy organisations, and political circles in the U.S., reigniting global debate on religious freedom and state accountability in Africa’s most populous nation.
While the Nigerian government maintains that its security challenges are complex and multidimensional, Cruz insists that those responsible for enabling violence against Christians must face justice — both in Nigeria and internationally.
“No one should be persecuted or killed because of their faith,” Cruz said. “America must stand firmly on the side of freedom, faith, and justice — and ensure that those responsible for these atrocities are held to account.”
