The United States government has removed Nigeria from the list of countries blacklisted for “engaging in violation of religious freedom”.
This was announced in a statement by Anthony Blinken, the US Secretary of State, on Wednesday.
The US had in 2020 placed Nigeria and six other countries on its special watch list of states that had engaged in or tolerated the severe violation of religious freedom.
However, in the 2021 list, as released by Blinken, Nigeria was missing from the list of countries designated in the 2021 list for religious violations.
Blinken, however, announced that the US has blacklisted 10 countries, including its ally, Saudi Arabia; as well as it rivals, Russia, China and Iran.
The statement read: “The United States will not waver in its commitment to advocate for freedom of religion or belief for all and in every country. In far too many places around the world, we continue to see governments harass, arrest, threaten, jail, and kill individuals simply for seeking to live their lives in accordance with their beliefs.
“This Administration is committed to supporting every individual’s right to freedom of religion or belief, including by confronting and combating violators and abusers of this human right.
“Each year the Secretary of State has the responsibility to identify governments and non-state actors, who, because of their religious freedom violations, merit designation under the International Religious Freedom Act.
“I am designating Burma, the People’s Republic of China, Eritrea, Iran, the DPRK, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan as Countries of Particular Concern for having engaged in or tolerated “systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom.”
“I am also placing Algeria, Comoros, Cuba, and Nicaragua on a Special Watch List for governments that have engaged in or tolerated “severe violations of religious freedom.”
Blinken also placed Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP), two terrorist groups which operate primarily in Nigeria, among groups designated as “entities of concern”.
“Finally, I am designating al-Shabab, Boko Haram, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the Houthis, ISIS, ISIS-Greater Sahara, ISIS-West Africa, Jamaat Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin, and the Taliban as Entities of Particular Concern.
“The challenges to religious freedom in the world today are structural, systemic, and deeply entrenched. They exist in every country. They demand sustained global commitment from all who are unwilling to accept hatred, intolerance, and persecution as the status quo. They require the international community’s urgent attention,” the statement read.
The removal of Nigeria from the list comes just days before Blinken is scheduled to physically visit Nigeria this week and meet with President Muhammadu Buhari.
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