The administration of United States President Donald Trump has announced the implementation of a new visa restriction policy specifically targeting individuals, including Nigerians, who are involved in funding or actively supporting alleged genocide and other forms of violence against Christians in Nigeria and globally.
Dependable NG reports that the announcement was made by United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, in a post shared on his official X account on Wednesday.
The Secretary of State emphasized that the U.S. is taking decisive action in response to severe religious persecution: “The United States is taking decisive action in response to the atrocities and violence against Christians in Nigeria and around the world. The @StateDept will restrict U.S. visas for those who knowingly direct, authorize, fund, support, or carry out violations of religious freedom.”
Rubio confirmed that this strict new visa policy is directly applicable to Nigeria. He stated that it targets “governments or individuals that persecute people for their religious beliefs,” thereby encompassing those implicated in the alleged massacre of Nigerian Christians.
The Nigerian government, however, has consistently denied that any genocide against Nigerian Christians is currently ongoing. Government officials have countered the U.S. claim by stating that the severe security challenges currently facing the nation are indiscriminate and affect adherents of all religions equally.
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