Militant herders killed more Nigerians than Boko Haram, says US Congressman Moore

Riley Moore,a United States Congressman, has alleged that armed Fulani militants killed more Nigerians than Boko Haram and ISIS over the past year, citing a new report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) that describes the groups as among the deadliest non-state actors responsible for religious freedom violations in Nigeria.

Moore made the assertion on Saturday while reacting to the USCIRF report titled Nonstate Violators of Religious Freedom in Nigeria: Fulani Militants, released in May 2026. The report estimates that about 30,000 armed Fulani militants are operating across Nigeria in groups ranging from 10 to 1,000 members and warns that their activities have become a major driver of violence, displacement and religious persecution in several parts of the country.

According to the commission, the ethic mihave emerged as some of the most lethal non-state actors in Nigeria, particularly in the Middle Belt and northern regions, where attacks on farming communities have resulted in thousands of deaths and widespread destruction of property.

Read also: Police warn against reprisal attacks as FG moves to address xenophobic attacks in South Africa

Reacting to the report, Moore said its findings reinforced concerns he and others had previously raised with President Donald Trump regarding the scale of violence allegedly perpetrated by the groups and its impact on Christian communities.

“The latest USCIRF report further details a horrific truth that Mario DB and I revealed in our report to President Donald Trump,” Moore wrote in a post on his verified social media account.

“Fulani militants killed more people in Nigeria over the past year than Boko Haram or ISIS. Innocent Christians are bearing the brunt of this violent persecution.”

The lawmaker argued that the violence against Christians in Nigeria deserves greater international attention and urged the United States government to remain committed to protecting religious minorities facing attacks.

Moore also praised Trump for recognising what he described as the urgent need to address the threat posed by Fulani militants through counterterrorism measures.

“President Trump rightly recognised the urgent need to protect Nigerian Christians by specifically addressing this threat in the administration’s Counterterrorism Strategy,” he said.

He added: “America is a Christian nation. We must continue to stand with those who are persecuted for their faith and hold these terrorists accountable.”

The USCIRF report stated that armed Fulani militant groups operate in varying sizes across Nigeria and have increasingly been linked to attacks that undermine religious freedom. The commission noted that the groups have become a significant security concern, contributing to ongoing instability in affected communities.

Read also: NDDC recommits to human capital devt, reassures children of the oil region on equality

The report is expected to reignite international debate over insecurity, communal conflicts and religious violence in Nigeria, where security agencies continue to battle multiple armed groups across different regions of the country.