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A United States lawmaker, Riley Moore, has renewed international concern over the persistent attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria, alleging that Fulani militants remain the largest perpetrators of violence against Christians in the country.
The comments come against the backdrop of recurring attacks on rural communities in Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa and parts of Southern Kaduna, where suspected armed Fulani herdsmen have been blamed for hundreds of deaths, the destruction of homes and places of worship, and the displacement of thousands of residents.
The lawmaker, in a message posted on his X account on Wednesday, said he has spent years investigating what he described as the persecution of Christians in Nigeria and argued that while the administration of US President Donald Trump made significant gains in degrading the capabilities of Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), deadly attacks linked to armed Fulani militants continue to claim lives, particularly in Nigeria’s Middle Belt.
“As I have been saying since I started investigating the genocide against Christians in Nigeria, Fulani militants are by far the largest perpetrators of violence against Christians in Nigeria.
“Nevertheless, the Trump Administration has made historic progress against Boko Haram and ISWAP, but we must also stop the killing in the Middle Belt at the hands of the Fulani if we want to ensure our brothers and sisters in Christ are safe to live and worship without being murdered,” he said.
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Nigeria’s Middle Belt region has remained one of the country’s most volatile regions, with violence escalating over the past decade. While many attacks have been attributed to suspected Fulani militias, the crisis has also been linked to longstanding disputes over land and grazing routes, climate-induced migration, ethnic rivalries and criminal activities.
However, Christian leaders and several international advocacy groups have repeatedly argued that many of the attacks deliberately target Christian farming communities.
The killings have also attracted increasing attention from foreign governments, international religious freedom advocates and human rights organisations, many of which have urged Nigerian authorities to strengthen security, ensure accountability for perpetrators, and provide greater protection for vulnerable communities.
But despite repeated military operations and government assurances, deadly attacks have continued across several states, prompting renewed calls for a comprehensive strategy to address insecurity and end the cycle of violence in the Middle Belt.
Meanwhile, the latest remarks by Riley Moore are expected to reignite international debate over Nigeria’s security challenges and intensify pressure on the federal government to curb the activities of armed groups responsible for attacks on civilian populations.
