By Palang Paul
A United States official has alleged that Fulani militants were responsible for more deaths in Nigeria over the past years than both Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), raising fresh concerns over the country’s worsening security situation.
The claim was made by US Congressman Riley Moore and counterterrorism advocate Chris Smith, who cited findings contained in the latest report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).
According to Moore, the report reinforces conclusions he and fellow advocate Mario Diaz presented to United States President Donald Trump, warning that Fulani militant attacks have become one of the deadliest threats facing Christian communities in Nigeria.
“The latest USCIRF report further details a horrific truth that Mario Diaz and I revealed in our report to President Trump. Fulani militants killed more people in Nigeria over the past year than Boko Haram or ISIS. Innocent Christians are bearing the brunt of this violent persecution,” Moore stated.
He commended President Trump for recognizing the threat and incorporating protections for Nigerian Christians into the administration’s counterterrorism strategy.
“President Trump rightly recognized the urgent need to protect Nigerian Christians by specifically addressing this threat in the administration’s Counterterrorism Strategy,” he said.
Riley Moore further urged the United States to continue advocating for victims of religious persecution and to hold perpetrators accountable.
The remarks come amid growing international scrutiny of violent attacks across Nigeria’s Middle Belt and other regions, where communities have repeatedly reported deadly assaults, displacement, and destruction of livelihoods linked to armed groups.
The USCIRF report is expected to fuel renewed debate over the nature of insecurity in Nigeria and the need for stronger measures to protect vulnerable populations, particularly those targeted on the basis of their faith.
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