By Atoyebi Nike
United States Congressman Riley Moore has raised fresh concerns about violence in Benue State after meeting displaced Christian communities during a visit to several IDP camps.
Writing on X on Wednesday, Moore said he spoke with “dozens of Christians” who described brutal attacks that wiped out families and forced survivors to flee their homes.
He recounted the testimony of a woman who said she was made to watch as her husband and five children were killed, escaping only with her unborn child. Another woman told him her family “was murdered in front of her and her baby was ripped from her womb.” A man said armed attackers hacked his family to death and left his arm permanently deformed.
Moore claimed that “more than 600,000 Christians” currently remain in IDP camps across Benue, a state long affected by clashes between farming communities and armed groups. He wrote that these communities “should be able to live in their ancestral homeland without fear of genocidal Fulani,” calling for heightened international attention to the crisis.
During his trip, Moore also met Tiv and Catholic leaders, including Bishops Wilfred Anagbe and Isaac Dugu, as well as a Tiv traditional ruler. He described the discussions as deeply moving and linked the violence to what he called an ongoing campaign against Christian communities.
The congressman said his broader visit to Nigeria included meetings with National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu and other officials to discuss terrorism in the Northeast and killings in the Middle Belt—issues he said remain top priorities for President Donald Trump.
According to Moore, both sides reviewed possible steps to strengthen security, and he pointed to what he described as a newly established joint task force between Nigeria and the US as evidence of cooperation. However, he stressed that “openness must now translate to concrete action.”
Ribadu confirmed hosting the US delegation, saying the talks aligned with earlier meetings in Washington and focused on counter-terrorism cooperation and regional stability.
The visit comes amid diplomatic tension following the Trump administration’s redesignation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern over alleged religious freedom abuses. Nigeria has repeatedly denied accusations of systemic persecution, insisting insecurity affects citizens across faiths.
Moore’s statements also follow the rescue of more than 100 abducted Catholic schoolchildren, an operation he praised while urging sustained efforts to protect vulnerable communities.
