The US government has introduced a new policy that allows it to impose a visa ban on people allegedly responsible for attacks on Nigerian Christians.

The US State Department said the policy allows it to deny visas to those who have directed, authorised, supported, participated in, or carried out abuses targeting people based on faith. The policy, announced amid discussions with the Nigerian government on violent attacks by terror groups, extended to Nigeria and any other country involved in violations of religious freedom.

The statement referenced former President Donald Trump’s position that the US could not ignore such atrocities, following earlier false accusations by the US that the Nigerian government supported anti-Christian violence, which led Trump to designate Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern and threaten military intervention.