A new May 2026 report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom has estimated that about 30,000 armed Fulani militants are currently operating across Nigeria in groups ranging from small cells of 10 fighters to larger formations of up to 1,000 members.
The report, titled Nonstate Violators of Religious Freedom in Nigeria: Fulani Militants, identified the armed groups as some of the most deadly non-state actors responsible for religious freedom violations and violent attacks across the country, particularly in the Middle Belt and parts of Southern Nigeria.
According to the commission, the attacks have intensified insecurity in several communities, resulting in thousands of deaths, widespread displacement and heightened tensions among religious groups.
The report stated that violence linked to Fulani militants accounted for more deaths among religious communities over the past year than attacks carried out by insurgent groups or criminal gangs.
While many of the attacks reportedly targeted Christian communities, the commission noted that Muslim communities had also experienced killings, kidnappings and raids.
USCIRF explained that although the militant groups do not operate under a single central leadership, some factions maintain links with criminal gangs and extremist organisations.
The report noted that the armed groups often attack remote communities at night using motorcycles, guns and machetes, creating fear and forcing residents to flee their ancestral lands.
According to the commission, at least 1.3 million people in Nigeria’s Middle Belt have been displaced by attacks involving Fulani militants and other armed groups, with many victims living in overcrowded camps lacking proper security and sanitation.
The report cited several deadly incidents recorded in 2025 and early 2026, including attacks in Benue State and Plateau State where hundreds of people were reportedly killed.
One of the incidents highlighted involved an attack in Benue in June 2025 that reportedly claimed at least 200 lives, including internally displaced persons sheltering in a Catholic mission.
The commission also referenced the Yelwata massacre in Benue, where more than 200 Christians, mostly women and children, were reportedly killed while thousands were displaced.
According to the report, some attacks were deliberately timed to coincide with Christian celebrations such as Christmas and Easter in order to maximize psychological impact.
The commission further disclosed that suspected Fulani militants reportedly killed at least 32 people in Niger State in February 2026 and attacked Holy Trinity Parish in Kaduna State’s Kafanchan Diocese, where several worshippers were killed and others abducted, including a Catholic priest.
USCIRF also documented kidnappings affecting both Christians and Muslims, including the abduction of an imam and seven worshippers from a mosque in Plateau State.
The report said differing interpretations of the violence have complicated attempts to determine the exact motives behind the attacks, with some observers attributing the crisis to environmental and economic disputes, while others view it as a targeted campaign against non-Muslims.
The commission criticised Nigerian authorities for what it described as inadequate security responses, noting complaints from affected communities that security operatives often arrive late during attacks.
The report also mentioned efforts by governors from 11 states to establish ranching systems aimed at reducing clashes between herders and farming communities.
USCIRF linked increased federal action against armed groups to the October 2025 decision by former US President Donald Trump to designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern over religious freedom violations.
Following the designation, President Bola Tinubu reportedly classified kidnappers and violent armed groups, including Fulani militants, as terrorists in December 2025.
The report added that Nigerian security agencies rescued more than 300 hostages during operations in Kogi and Kwara states in January 2026, while over 100 suspected militants were arrested and dozens killed.
USCIRF also highlighted allegations directed at the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, though the group denied any involvement in criminal activities or violent attacks.
The commission warned that despite ongoing peace initiatives and security operations, insecurity remains deeply rooted in central Nigeria and may persist unless broader political, social and economic conditions improve to support peaceful coexistence and religious freedom.