Why Target Him?’ – Bashir Ahmad Questions American Lawmakers On Kwankwaso Sanctions

Former presidential aide Bashir Ahmad has expressed shock over the inclusion of Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso in a proposed sanctions list by certain U.S. lawmakers.

In a post on (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, Ahmad questioned why the former Kano State governor and ex-Minister of Defence was being associated with terrorism or religious intolerance.

He wrote:
“I am not holding a brief for Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso, but I genuinely wonder how his name appeared there.”

 Ahmad, who served as Special Assistant on Digital Communications to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, noted that Kwankwaso has consistently opposed terrorism.

“All the time I have known him, and throughout his tenure as Governor, Minister of Defence, Senator, and now as a political leader, he has always taken a firm stance against terrorism in all its forms,” he stated.

Ahmad’s remarks come after reports that members of the U.S. Congress, including Riley Moore and Chris Smith, introduced a bill titled the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026.

The proposed legislation reportedly recommends targeted sanctions—such as visa restrictions and asset freezes—against Kwankwaso and certain Fulani herder groups accused of involvement in religiously motivated violence.