; Whereas Nigeria is facing record levels of unemployment and high inflation as a consequence of the COVID–19 pandemic, unplanned migration, changes in weather patterns, violent insurgencies from extremist groups such as the Islamic State–West Africa Province and Boko Haram, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine; Whereas, according to the International Crisis Group, armed groups killed more than 10,000 people and abducted more than 5,000 in about 3,000 incidents that occurred in at least 550 of the country’s 774 local government areas in 2022 alone; Whereas, according to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, Nigerian military forces have been accused of perpetrating extrajudicial killings and war crimes, with over 400 civilians killed at the hands of security forces since 2018; Whereas attacks on electoral commissions, polling locations, and staff remain a serious concern where in 1 incident, 3 gunmen bombed the headquarters of INEC in Nigeria’s southeastern Imo State that killed a police officer in December 2022; Whereas the Nigerian people expressed their country going in the wrong direction in response to the significant and compounded security crises; Whereas the U.S. Agency for International Development is supporting electoral processes, observation programs, and peace messaging, including by encouraging candidates to adhere to a peaceful and credible process in Nigeria; Whereas the United States underscored its commitment to expanding and deepening its partnership with African countries and working to bolster democracy and strengthen electoral processes during the 2021 Summit for Democracy and the 2022 United States-Africa Leaders Summit; and Whereas, on January 25, 2023, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced visa restrictions on specific individuals involved in undermining the democratic process in a recent Nigerian election, and warned of similar sanctions for anyone who intends to undermine the 2023 elections: Now, therefore, be it