Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
United States Congressman Chris Smith has launched a scathing attack on the Nigerian government, accusing it of failing to protect its citizens and hold perpetrators accountable following a wave of deadly violence in Plateau State, declaring that "enough is enough" and that the government must fulfill its most basic responsibility of protecting its people. Smith, a Republican from New Jersey who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, issued the statement on Friday, August 21, 2026, after a series of attacks in Mangu Local Government Area that left dozens dead and hundreds displaced. The violence began on August 16, 2026, when several residents believed to be Fulani were killed in the Jwak Maitumbi community, with about 45 residential shelters and large quantities of crops destroyed.
Less than 48 hours later, on August 18, 2026, suspected Fulani militia invaded the Bin-Per community in the Kombun district of Mangu, killing at least 23 people, including women and children, in what appeared to be a reprisal attack. According to community sources, at least 24 persons were killed during the overnight assault, with attackers moving from house to house and killing residents who were sleeping. The attack also left others injured and caused extensive destruction of property. On Thursday, August 20, 2026, troops of Operation Enduring Peace foiled an attempted attack on the Manja community in the same local government area after receiving information about armed herders moving with cattle in the area, reportedly destroying farmlands and attempting to attack the community.
In a statement released on Friday, Smith called on the Nigerian government to take immediate action to protect vulnerable Christian communities and bring the perpetrators of the attacks to justice. "Despite denials by Nigerian government actors, Christians continue to be slaughtered while Nigerian officials fail to provide adequate protection or hold the perpetrators accountable," Smith said. "Enough is enough. The Nigerian government must fulfill its most basic responsibility of protecting its citizens". Smith spoke alongside Frank Garcia, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, who also urged the Nigerian government "to meet their commitments to protect Christian communities and to hold perpetrators of violence accountable".
Smith also took aim at the Nigerian government's spending priorities, pointing to what he described as a $9 million campaign to improve its image in Washington. "Instead of spending millions of dollars—$9 million, to be exact—in an attempt to improve its image in Washington, the Nigerian government should redirect those resources towards protecting its people and addressing this grave security crisis," Smith said. The congressman's comments reflect growing frustration in Washington over what US officials view as insufficient action by Nigerian authorities to address the escalating violence in the Middle Belt, which has claimed thousands of lives over the past decade.
The Plateau attacks have drawn widespread condemnation, with the US Bureau of African Affairs also expressing horror at the killings. The Bureau stated, "The United States is horrified by yet another murderous attack in the Middle Belt of Nigeria, killing dozens of people asleep in their homes in Plateau State. This is especially troubling coming on the heels of the recent CPC Working Group meeting". The Bureau strongly urged the Nigerian government to meet its commitments to protect Christian communities and hold perpetrators of violence accountable. Smith's latest condemnation follows a pattern of sustained criticism by the congressman, who has chaired 13 congressional hearings on the religious persecution crisis in Nigeria. Earlier this year, he introduced the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026 (HR 7457), which would require the U.S. Secretary of State to compile and submit to Congress a comprehensive report on U.S. efforts to address the ongoing religious persecution and mass atrocities in Nigeria.
The Nigerian government has consistently denied allegations of religious targeting in the conflicts, describing them largely as clashes over land, resources and criminality. However, Smith's latest comments, alongside the Bureau of African Affairs' condemnation, signal renewed pressure from US lawmakers for the Trump administration not to reconsider Nigeria's designation as a Country of Particular Concern amid persistent attacks in Plateau, Benue and other parts of the Middle Belt. As the violence continues to escalate, with at least 24 people killed in the Bin-Per attack alone, the question remains whether the Nigerian government will heed the calls from Washington and take concrete action to protect its citizens or continue to face international condemnation for what Smith describes as a "grave security crisis".
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