Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Carmen Diego
U.S. Representative Riley M. Moore has formally submitted a report to the White House detailing what he describes as escalating persecution of Christians in Nigeria, urging stronger diplomatic engagement and policy review by the United States government.
Moore, who represents West Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District, said the report compiles data, testimonies and incident analyses concerning attacks on Christian communities across various regions of Nigeria. According to statements from his office, the document highlights killings, abductions, church burnings and forced displacements allegedly carried out by armed extremist groups and criminal networks.
The submission calls for the U.S. administration to reassess its approach toward Nigeria’s security and religious freedom situation. Moore has advocated for increased scrutiny under U.S. religious freedom statutes, including potential diplomatic or economic measures if conditions are found to meet established thresholds for systemic violations.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, has faced complex security challenges for over a decade. In the northeast, insurgent groups such as Boko Haram and its splinter factions have carried out attacks affecting both Muslim and Christian populations. In the northwest and parts of the Middle Belt, banditry and communal violence have further compounded instability. While many incidents have economic, territorial or criminal motivations, religious identity has often intersected with broader conflict dynamics.
Human rights organizations have documented numerous incidents in which Christian communities were targeted, particularly in rural and farming areas. At the same time, analysts caution that Nigeria’s violence landscape is multifaceted, involving ethnic tensions, competition over land and resources, political grievances and organized criminal activity. Both Christian and Muslim civilians have suffered casualties in various regions.
Moore’s report reportedly urges the White House to consider Nigeria’s designation under the International Religious Freedom Act framework. The U.S. government periodically reviews countries’ records and may designate them as Countries of Particular Concern if evidence demonstrates severe violations of religious freedom. Nigeria was previously placed on and later removed from such a designation, a decision that drew debate among lawmakers and advocacy groups.
The White House has not yet issued a formal public response to Moore’s submission. However, U.S.-Nigeria relations encompass broad cooperation areas, including counterterrorism, economic development, public health and regional security. American officials have consistently emphasized the importance of strengthening Nigeria’s security capacity while promoting human rights protections.
Nigerian authorities have maintained that they are confronting criminal and insurgent elements without discrimination and have rejected characterizations that frame the conflict solely along religious lines. Government representatives frequently describe the violence as driven primarily by terrorism, banditry and intercommunal disputes rather than a centrally coordinated campaign against a specific faith group.
The issue of religious persecution in Nigeria has gained attention within segments of the U.S. Congress in recent years. Lawmakers from both parties have held hearings and introduced resolutions calling for closer monitoring of religious freedom conditions in West Africa. Advocacy organizations have also lobbied for more assertive U.S. engagement.
Diplomatic observers note that any shift in U.S. policy could have broader geopolitical implications, given Nigeria’s strategic role in West Africa. The country is a major regional power, a significant oil producer and a key partner in multilateral security efforts against extremist networks operating across the Sahel.
As debate continues in Washington, communities affected by violence in Nigeria remain focused on immediate security and humanitarian concerns. Internally displaced persons camps, rural villages and urban neighborhoods across several states continue to grapple with the aftermath of attacks, irrespective of the motivations behind them.
Moore’s submission places renewed attention on Nigeria’s internal security crisis within the U.S. policy arena. Whether it leads to concrete changes in diplomatic posture or formal designations will depend on executive branch review processes and broader foreign policy considerations in the months ahead.
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