US lawmaker submits report to Trump urging repeal of Sharia, blasphemy laws over alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria

By Johnson Arua

United States Congressman Riley M. Moore has formally presented a congressional report to President Donald Trump, urging sweeping measures to address violence against Christian communities in Nigeria, including the repeal of sharia and blasphemy laws operating in parts of the country.

Moore disclosed this in a press release issued in Washington, stating that he joined members of the House Committees on Appropriations and Foreign Affairs at the White House to submit what he described as a comprehensive report on the situation in Nigeria.

According to him, the document outlines “concrete actions to end the persecution of Christians in Nigeria and counter growing extremist violence in the region.”

The submission comes on the heels of President Trump’s redesignation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) on October 31, 2025, under the US International Religious Freedom Act.

The CPC designation is reserved for countries the US government considers to have engaged in or tolerated particularly severe violations of religious freedom.

Moore said President Trump mandated him and Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, Tom Cole, to spearhead a congressional investigation into what he termed “the persecution against Christian communities and security challenges plaguing Nigeria.”

He explained that the report was the outcome of several months of investigative work carried out by members of Congress and relevant stakeholders.

According to Moore, the process included a bipartisan congressional fact-finding trip to Nigeria to assess conditions on the ground.

He added that the team also held hearings with expert witnesses and consulted with religious leaders as part of the inquiry.

The investigation further involved meetings with Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), many of whom were said to have been affected by violent attacks.

Moore noted that the delegation engaged senior Nigerian government officials during their visit in a bid to better understand the security and religious freedom concerns raised.

“I travelled on a bipartisan delegation to Nigeria and saw with my own eyes the horrific atrocities Christians face, and the instability the Nigerian government must combat,” Moore said in the statement.

He maintained that the findings of the investigation necessitated decisive policy responses from the United States government.
Among the recommendations contained in the report, Moore highlighted the call for the repeal of sharia and blasphemy laws in certain parts of Nigeria, arguing that such laws contribute to religious tensions and abuses.

The congressman emphasized that the proposed measures are aimed at strengthening religious freedom protections, addressing extremist violence, and encouraging reforms that would promote stability and protect vulnerable communities across Nigeria.