The Kwankwasiyya Movement has rejected moves by five US lawmakers to blacklist its leader, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, over alleged religious freedom violations in Nigeria.
The move follows the introduction of the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act 2026 (HR 7457) in the US Congress, which, if passed, would mandate visa bans and asset freezes against Kwankwaso and others over alleged persecution of Christians.
In a statement, the movement described Kwankwaso’s inclusion in the proposed legislation as “unfounded” and “politically motivated,” demanding his immediate removal from the bill.
Spokesperson Habibu Sale Mohammed said there is nothing in Kwankwaso’s public record to justify such allegations, stressing that he has never been indicted or credibly accused of religious extremism or human rights violations.
The group also dismissed claims linking him to religious extremism over the implementation of Sharia law in Kano, arguing that Sharia-based systems in northern Nigeria were constitutional and not unique to his administration.
It maintained that singling out Kwankwaso raises questions about the evidentiary basis of the recommendation, noting that similar legal frameworks exist in several states.
The bill, sponsored by Chris Smith, Riley Moore, Brian Mast, Mario Diaz-Balart, and Bill Huizenga, alleges systemic religious persecution in Nigeria and names Kwankwaso among those implicated.
