Abuja, Nigeria — November 14, 2025
U.S. Senator Ted Cruz has sharply criticized Nigerian government policies, claiming they foster an environment in which Christians are persecuted and “slaughtered.” In a post on his X (formerly Twitter) account, Cruz singled out “the enforcement of Sharia law and their tolerance of Islamist violence” as key enablers of this alleged religious targeting.
According to Cruz, there is a systemic problem: government policies, especially in states that enforce Sharia and blasphemy laws, are complicit in religious violence. He called for stronger pressure on Nigeria, including diplomatic measures and possible sanctions.
Cruz reacted specifically to comments by Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chair of the African Union Commission, who recently dismissed genocide allegations at the United Nations. Youssouf had argued the situation in northern Nigeria is “extremely complex,” and denied that the violence amounts to genocide.
International human rights groups, such as Open Doors, Amnesty International, and the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), have voiced grave concerns over rising sectarian violence in Nigeria, particularly against Christians in the North and Middle Belt regions.
Cruz has previously called for targeted U.S. sanctions on Nigerian officials and 12 state governments that enforce Sharia and blasphemy laws, accusing them of complicity in what he describes as “mass slaughter.