The United States, US, Congress has introduced legislation aimed at curbing Chinese mining operations in Nigeria, linking the measures to broader efforts to address religious freedom violations and extremist violence.
Announced via X on Tuesday, February 10, by Rep. Riley Moore (R‑West Virginia), the initiative is included in the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026, co-sponsored by Rep. Chris Smith (R‑New Jersey).
US lawmakers highlighted that certain mining activities serve as key revenue streams for armed groups, noting that insurgents often collect what they called protection money from operators to maintain control and security.
The proposed bill instructs the US Secretary of State to assess whether specific Fulani militias qualify as foreign terrorist organizations under US law.
It also encourages humanitarian aid delivery to Nigeria’s Middle Belt through trusted faith-based and non-governmental organizations.
The legislation further calls for the investigation and accountability of individuals or networks, whether domestic or foreign, that provide material or technical support to Fulani-ethnic militias.
“The Secretary of State should consider technical support to the Government of Nigeria to reduce and then eliminate violence from armed Fulani militias, including disarmament programs and comprehensive counter-terrorism cooperation to rid the region of Foreign Terrorist Organizations that pose a direct threat to the American homeland,” the bill states.
It also directs collaboration with Nigeria to counteract what it describes as the hostile foreign exploitation of Chinese illegal mining operations and their destabilizing practice of paying protection money to Fulani militias, underscoring US concerns over both terrorism financing and foreign interference in local resources.
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