The Kwankwasiyya Movement has formally rejected a move by five United States lawmakers to blacklist its leader, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, over alleged “severe religious freedom violations” in Nigeria.
The move follows the introduction of the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act 2026 (HR 7457) to the US Congress on Tuesday.
If passed, the bill would compel the US Departments of State and Treasury to impose visa bans and asset freezes on Kwankwaso, alongside groups like the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN), for their alleged roles in the systemic persecution of Christians.
In a swift reaction on Thursday, the movement described the inclusion of the former Kano State Governor’s name as “unfounded” and “politically motivated,” demanding its immediate removal from the proposed legislation.
“We state unequivocally that these allegations are consistent with nothing in the verifiable public record of Senator Kwankwaso’s life and service,” said spokesperson Habibu Sale Mohammed.
The movement specifically addressed claims made by US Rep. Riley Moore, one of the bill’s sponsors, who reportedly linked Kwankwaso to religious extremism due to the implementation of Sharia law during his tenure as governor. Defending the record, the group argued that Sharia-based legal systems in Northern Nigeria were constitutional developments not unique to Kano.
“The constitutional development of Sharia-based legal systems… was neither unique to Kano State nor the initiative of one individual,” the statement read. “To single out Senator Kwankwaso while similar constitutional arrangements exist in several states raises serious questions about the evidentiary standard behind such a recommendation.”
Kwankwaso, a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, two-term Governor of Kano State, Minister of Defence, and Senator, has “never been indicted, prosecuted, or credibly accused of religious persecution, extremism, or human rights violations,” the group said.
Credit: channelstv.com
