The designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern has raised curiosity among Nigerians as to the meaning and import for the Nation.
The Eagle Online recalls the President of the United States of America, Donald Trump, designated Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern.
In doing so on Friday, Trump said Christians were being killed in mass.
A “Country of Particular Concern” is a designation by the Secretary of State of a nation engaged in severe violations of religious freedom under the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) of 1998.
The IRFA requires an annual review of the status of religious freedom worldwide and the designation of countries that have “engaged in or tolerated particularly severe violations of religious freedom” during the reporting period.
The IRFA defines particularly severe violations of religious freedom as systematic, ongoing, egregious violations of religious freedom, including violations such as torture, degrading treatment or punishment, prolonged detention without charges, abduction or clandestine detention, or other flagrant denial of the right to life, liberty, or the security of persons.
The President’s authority to designate CPCs has been delegated to the Secretary of State.
In those cases where the Secretary of State designates a CPC, Congress is notified, and where non-economic policy options designed to bring about cessation of the particularly severe violations of religious freedom have reasonably been exhausted, an economic measure generally must be imposed.
The sanctions Nigeria could face, as specified in the explanation above, could range from travel restrictions on officials implicated in rights abuses, to suspension or reduction of US development assistance; restrictions on arms sales or defence cooperation; and economic sanctions such as freezing assets or blocking transactions with US entities.
This is not the first time that the US would designate Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern.
During President Trump’s first presidency in 2020, he also did the same.
