A United States Congressman, Riley Moore, has raised concerns over what he described as the widespread persecution of Christians in Nigeria, recounting testimonies of killings, church burnings and mass displacement during a recent congressional visit to the country.
Moore made the remarks during an interview with Robert Barron, where he criticised the administration of former U.S. President Joe Biden over what he termed an inadequate response to religious violence in Nigeria.
The lawmaker also faulted the previous administration for removing Nigeria from the United States Department of State’s list of Countries of Particular Concern for religious freedom violations, arguing that the move failed to reflect realities on the ground.
According to Moore, explanations that attribute violence in parts of Nigeria largely to climate change and farmer-herder conflicts do not fully explain the scale of destruction allegedly suffered by Christian communities.
“That does not explain burning down over 20,000 churches. That doesn’t explain killing men, women and children,” he said.
The congressman alleged that the former U.S. administration had downplayed what he described as systematic attacks on Christians, particularly in Nigeria’s Middle Belt region.
Drawing from experiences during the congressional visit, Moore said members of the delegation met displaced persons in camps in Benue State who shared harrowing accounts of violence and loss.
He recounted testimonies from survivors, including a woman who reportedly witnessed the killing of her husband and two children before losing her unborn child, as well as another victim who allegedly lost all five of her children during separate attacks.
Moore further claimed that some internally displaced persons camps had repeatedly come under attack from armed groups, including factions linked to Boko Haram and Islamic State.
Describing the situation as one of the gravest religious freedom challenges globally, the lawmaker argued that the religious dimension of the violence should not be ignored.
“It’s not even close, Christianity is the most persecuted faith on the planet right now,” he said.
However, Moore acknowledged that Muslims who oppose extremist groups have also suffered attacks, stressing that all victims of violence deserve protection and justice.
“All lives are sacred,” he stated, while maintaining that Christian communities remain disproportionately affected by insecurity in some regions.
The West Virginia representative disclosed that he was part of a congressional delegation sent to Nigeria following concerns over insecurity and religious freedom. During the visit, the delegation held meetings with government officials in Abuja and assessed conditions in affected communities.
Moore also said former U.S. President Donald Trump had redesignated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern and tasked him with investigating the situation and recommending possible policy responses.
According to him, recommendations submitted after the trip included strengthening local security structures, imposing targeted sanctions on individuals linked to violence and expanding economic cooperation between the United States and Nigeria.
The congressman additionally expressed concern over China’s activities in Nigeria, alleging that Chinese interests were exploiting weak governance systems to gain access to strategic mineral resources. He further claimed that such activities could contribute to instability, although no evidence was presented to support the allegations.
During the discussion, Bishop Barron lamented what he described as insufficient international attention to the security crisis in Nigeria, comparing it to previous humanitarian emergencies that failed to attract timely global intervention.
Moore concluded by calling for greater international engagement to address insecurity, protect vulnerable populations and safeguard religious freedom across Nigeria, insisting that the plight of affected communities should not be overlooked by the global community.