The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has alleged that some personnel within Nigeria’s police and military institutions are collaborating with Fulani militias involved in violent attacks and kidnappings targeting religious communities across the country.
The allegation was contained in the commission’s May 2026 report titled “Non-state Violators of Religious Freedom in Nigeria: Fulani Militants.” The report claimed that possible collusion between security officials and armed groups has complicated efforts to tackle insecurity and mass abductions in several parts of Nigeria.
According to the commission, the fate of many kidnapping victims often remains unknown due to the secrecy surrounding ransom negotiations and alleged cooperation between some perpetrators and certain officials within the police and military.
The report also stated that conflicting narratives and alleged censorship by authorities have made it difficult to accurately determine the identities, motives and activities of armed groups accused of violating religious freedom in Nigeria.
USCIRF noted that while some analysts attribute the violence to environmental and economic disputes, others believe the attacks are part of a broader campaign against non-Muslim communities, particularly Christians. The commission, however, maintained that multiple factors, including religion, likely contribute to the attacks.
The report warned that worsening violence in Nigeria’s Middle Belt has displaced at least 1.3 million people, with thousands forced into overcrowded and unsafe displacement camps.
It estimated that roughly 30,000 armed actors currently operate in different parts of Nigeria in loosely connected groups ranging from 10 to 1,000 members, particularly across the North-West, Middle Belt and some southern states.
USCIRF stated that many of the attackers operate without central leadership but often carry out coordinated assaults on rural communities, usually at night, using motorcycles, guns and machetes.
The commission cited several deadly incidents recorded between 2025 and early 2026, including attacks in Benue, Plateau, Kaduna and Niger states.
According to the report, at least 200 people, including displaced persons taking refuge in a Catholic mission in Benue State, were killed during an attack in June 2025.
The commission also referenced the Yelwata massacre in Benue State, where more than 200 Christians, mostly women and children, were reportedly killed while over 3,000 others were displaced.
USCIRF alleged that some attacks were deliberately carried out during Christian celebrations such as Christmas and Easter to maximise fear and psychological trauma among victims.
The report further documented attacks on both churches and mosques, including the abduction of an imam and seven worshippers from a mosque in Plateau State, where kidnappers reportedly demanded a N16 million ransom.
The commission criticised both federal and state authorities for what it described as inadequate responses to the violence and noted accusations from some Christian groups that security agencies sometimes showed bias during operations and investigations.
US Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, also revealed that President Donald Trump had instructed the Pentagon to prioritise the protection of Nigerian Christians targeted by ISIS-linked groups.
According to Hegseth, the directive reportedly contributed to the elimination of a senior ISIS commander operating in Nigeria.
The report additionally urged the US Congress to prevent individuals lobbying on behalf of governments designated by Washington as violators of religious freedom from receiving payments for such services.
Nigeria was redesignated in 2025 as a Country of Particular Concern by the United States over alleged violations of religious freedom.
USCIRF also disclosed that the Nigerian government signed a $9 million lobbying contract with Washington-based DCI Group in December 2025 to promote its counter-terrorism efforts and address concerns over religious violence.
Reacting to the report, the Middle Belt Forum said it agreed with the findings, insisting that there had long been suspicions that some individuals within Nigeria’s security structure were aiding insurgents and criminal groups.
The forum’s National President, Dr Bitrus Pogu, said there had been repeated indications of collaboration between some security personnel and armed groups, citing previous warnings by retired General T.Y. Danjuma and former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Similarly, the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, said the allegations should not be dismissed, arguing that terrorism and banditry could not have persisted for years without internal sabotage and complicity from influential individuals.
Afenifere’s spokesman, Jare Ajayi, called on the government and security agencies to investigate the allegations thoroughly and address all forms of internal sabotage undermining efforts to end insecurity in the country.