Daily Trust Editorial, February 23, 2026
Last week there were reports that the United States had imposed sanctions on eight Nigerians over alleged ties to terrorist organisations like Boko Haram and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. The measures were announced by the United States Department of Treasury through its Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). The statement by OFAC said that the action was ‘’with respect to Specially Designated Nationals and other persons whose property is blocked to assist the public in complying with the various sanctions programme administered by OFAC.’’
The action comes after recent recommendations by members of the US Congress that called for visa bans and freezing of assets on identified Nigerians and groups over alleged violations of religious freedom. In this regard, former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN) and Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore were recommended for sanctions though they were not listed on the OFAC publication.
The action taken by OFAC did not appear in a vacuum. It bears noticing that for some time now, the United States government and its agencies have directed a more than normal attention to developments in Nigeria leading to steps taken that uncomfortably borders on our sovereignty and in flagrant disregard to international law and diplomatic protocols, and even the provisions of the US Constitution.
The take off point for the series of actions taken by the US government so far on Nigeria was on the on-going insecurity in the country. Leveraging on reports by groups and individuals in Nigeria, which tended to present a onesided narrative on the insurgency and resultant violence in the country, certain American Congressmen proceeded to inaccurately but conveniently labelled the insecurity as evidence of ‘’Christian genocide’’ by the insurgent groups. Even when presented with gilt-edged proof that indeed the attacks by the insurgent groups in Nigeria were anything but that and the victims were more of Muslims than Christians the American Congressmen stuck to the conveniently preferred narrative of ‘’Christian genocide’’.
This set the ground for the series of actions taken by the US government on Nigeria which prominently led to President Donald Trump directing that Nigeria be included in the US State Department’s watchlist alleging persecution of Christians. This led to Nigeria being designated as a ‘’Country of Particular Concern’’ which meant that the US government could take any action it deemed fit against Nigeria on that score.
Since then, the US had made good its intention to take military action against suspected terrorists by bombing their camps in Sokoto state on Christmas day last year. In a follow up to that, the US government has just recently sent a contingent of military personnel which Defence Minister General Chris Musa (Rtd) stated, was to assist in providing military training and equipment to effectively fight the war on terrorism in Nigeria.
In all these the Nigerian government had studiously and commendably chosen to cooperate with the US, even sending a high-powered delegation led by National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu to engage with American officials on the subject. Indeed, the bombing that took place on Christmas Day happened reportedly with the cooperation of Nigeria, signifying the willingness to work with the Americans to bring an end to the scourge of terrorist insurgency which had ravaged the country over the past decade and half.
But thus far, it appears clearly that the Americans seem to take this collaborative gesture of Nigeria for granted. Several of the steps taken by the Americans in this collaborative venture indicate a lack of nuance in approach and disregard for the sensitivities of the Nigerian government and people. The recommendation to list former Governor Kwankwaso among those sponsoring terrorism for instance is highly questionable. The US authorities would have to prove to Nigeria beyond a shadow of doubt that a man who has been a former Defence Minister, Senator, and Governor of one of Nigeria’s states Kano and who is presently the leader of a prominent political party, is an alleged sponsor of terrorism.
If there is one thing the Nigerian government urgently needs to do on this is to review its current engagement with the US government in view of the issue of our sovereignty which the US shows a tendency to ignore. It should also be pointed out that US action on religious freedom which centres only on Christians is a violation on the 1st Amendment which prohibits action on the basis of any one’s religious faith to the detriment of another.
Accordingly, in view of untoward developments from the US side which is leaning towards undue interference into what should be our internal matters in disregard for our sovereignty as an independent nation, it is time for the federal government to call the Americans to order. They should be told in clear terms that while Nigeria welcomes and will continue to engage with them on issues in a mutually beneficial way, this should not be at the expense of our sovereignty and interference in our internal affairs.
