U.S. Congress legislation · 119th Congress
HB7457: Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026
Status: In committee, February 10, 2026
To require a comprehensive report on United States efforts to address religious persecution and mass atrocities in Nigeria.
What the bill says
To require a comprehensive report on United States efforts to address religious persecution and mass atrocities in Nigeria.
From the introduced text, February 10, 2026:
A BILL To require a comprehensive report on United States efforts to address religious persecution and mass atrocities in Nigeria. SECTION 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026 . SECTION 2. Findings Congress finds the following: (1) Systemic religious persecution has persisted in Nigeria since at least 2009, including mass murder, kidnappings, rape, village destruction, and forced displacement of persons, perpetrated by Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), Fulani militant groups, and other extremist organizations. (2) Estimates indicate that between 50,000 to 125,000 Christians have been martyred between 2009 and 2025, with more than 19,000 Christian churches attacked or destroyed. (3) Fulani-ethnic militias in Nigeria--including networks of armed groups engaged in organized attacks on civilian communities--have carried out repeated acts of violence that meet the statutory definition of terrorist activity under section 212(a)(3) of the Immigration and Nationality Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(3) ). (4) These militias have conducted attacks involving targeted killings, hostage-taking, hijackings, armed assaults, massacres of civilians, destruction of property, and forced displacement of local population. (5) Between May 2023 and May 2025, Fulani-ethnic militias carried out major massacres in Benue and Plateau States--including attacks in Umogidi, Mgban, Yelwata, the Christmas Eve massacres of 2023 and 2024, and the Holy Week and Easter …
Sponsors
- Christopher Smith (R, HD-NJ-4) · primary sponsor
- Riley Moore (R, HD-WV-2)
- Brian Mast (R, HD-FL-21)
- Mario Diaz-Balart (R, HD-FL-26)
- Bill Huizenga (R, HD-004)
- Tom Cole (R)
- Tim Moore (R, HD-NC-14)
- John James (R, HD-010)
Latest actions
- : Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- : Introduced in House
Subjects: International Affairs
Common questions
- What is HB7457?
- HB7457 is a bill in Congress (119th Congress): Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026.
- What does HB7457 do?
- In its own words: To require a comprehensive report on United States efforts to address religious persecution and mass atrocities in Nigeria.
- What is the status of HB7457?
- In committee as of February 10, 2026. Latest action: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. (February 10, 2026).
- Who sponsored HB7457?
- Christopher Smith (R, HD-NJ-4), with 7 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for HB7457?
- On the Congress website: https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/7457
Source: official Congress record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.