Ted Cruz Accuses Nigeria of Complicity in Christian Killings

During a Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee hearing on October 3, 2023, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz accused Nigerian officials of being complicit in the killings of Christians in Nigeria.

Cruz stated that Nigeria has the highest number of Christian deaths globally since 2009, with approximately 50,000 Christians killed and 20,000 churches and religious institutions destroyed. He criticized the Nigerian government's slow response to security challenges and attributed part of the violence to the implementation of Sharia law in several northern states.

Cruz referenced previous assurances from Nigerian defense and security officials regarding ending violence, which he claimed have not resulted in tangible outcomes. He introduced the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025 to hold Nigerian government officials accountable for their alleged complicity in attacks on Christians.

Nick Checker, a senior official from the U.S. State Department's Bureau of African Affairs, responded by noting some positive changes in Nigeria's security architecture and ongoing cooperation between the U.S. and Nigeria.