The decision of President Donald John Trump of the United States of America to add Nigeria to the Religious FREEDOM’S BLACKLIST is the correct position that reflects the reality of the HUMAN RIGHTS fiasco and poor observance by government of Freedom of Religion of a lot of Nigerians just as the Rights Advocacy group HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) has demanded that the sanctions that ought yo follow such classification is not strong enough since the cases of suppression of the freedom of Religion has continued eveb after Nigeria was added since the last two years.
HURIWA recalled that the United States on Monday placed Nigeria for the first time on a religious freedom blacklist, paving the way for potential sanctions if it does not improve its record.Secretary of State Mike Pompeo designated the US ally as a “Country of Particular Concern” for religious freedom, alongside nations that include China, Iran, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
Pompeo did not elaborate on the reasons for including Nigeria, which has a delicate balance between Muslims and Christians.
But US law requires such designations for nations that either engage in or tolerate “systematic, ongoing, egregious violations of religious freedom.” On Nigeria, an annual State Department report published earlier this year took note of concerns both at the federal and state levels.
HURIWA said the United States of America needs to be much more firm, decisive and resolute in implementing sanctions targeting certain key government officials in Nigeria like President Muhammadu Buhari, his Vice Professor Yemi Osinbanjo, members of his entire cabinet, governors of Kano State, Kaduna State and other notable persons in whose areas of jurisdiction members of Religious minorities such as the Islamic Movement of Nigeria and the Northern Christians have face massive genocides from such armed non state actors like Boko haram terrorists and armed Fulani herdsmen backed by the government of President Muhammadu Buhari. “We plead with the USA to go right away and impose the stiffest targeted individual sanctions to top government officials for condoning mass genocides and for failing to activate the laws against mass killings to punish offenders who obviously enjoy the backing of officials of the central government.
National Coordinator Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko and the National Media Affairs Director Miss Zainab Yusuf said it will be writing again to the United States of America to demand the imposition of the stiffest targeted individual sanctions on top Nigerian officials.
