United States Congressman Riley Moore (R-WV) has described the ongoing violence against Christian communities in Nigeria’s Benue State as a “genocidal campaign by the Fulani,” following a firsthand visit to internally displaced persons (IDP) camps in the region. Moore, who leads a US congressional delegation investigating religious persecution, shared gut-wrenching testimonies from survivors that he said will “remain with me for the rest of my life.”

During his trip on Wednesday, Moore met with dozens of displaced Christians living in overcrowded IDP camps, hearing accounts of unimaginable brutality at the hands of armed groups. Over 600,000 Christians in Benue State alone have been forced from their ancestral homes due to relentless attacks, exacerbating one of Africa’s most severe humanitarian crises.

Moore recounted several stories that underscore the scale of the horror:

  • One woman described being forced to watch as militants killed her husband and five children in front of her. She and her unborn child barely escaped with their lives.
  • Another survivor’s family was slaughtered before her eyes, and in a particularly barbaric act, her baby was ripped from her womb.
  • A man witnessed his entire family being hacked to death, suffering a permanently mangled arm in the attack.

“These Christians should be able to live in their ancestral homeland without fear of genocidal Fulani,” Moore stated in a post on X (formerly Twitter), emphasizing the targeted nature of the violence against farming communities, primarily ethnic Tiv Christians, by Fulani herdsmen and associated armed groups.

The congressman, a Roman Catholic himself, met with local leaders including Tiv traditional ruler James Ioruza, and Catholic Bishops Wilfred Anagbe and Isaac Dugu, to discuss strategies for protection and justice. He described the meetings as “productive” and part of broader talks with Nigerian officials, including National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, on counter-terrorism efforts.

Benue State, in Nigeria’s volatile Middle Belt, has been a flashpoint for ethno-religious conflicts for years. Disputes over land and resources between predominantly Christian farmers and Muslim Fulani herders have escalated into widespread violence, with armed militias accused of carrying out massacres, kidnappings, and displacements. The US State Department recently redesignated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” for severe violations of religious freedom, though the Nigerian government has rejected claims of systemic Christian persecution, attributing much of the unrest to banditry and resource clashes.

Moore’s visit comes amid heightened US scrutiny of the issue. He commended recent Nigerian successes, such as the rescue of over 100 abducted Catholic schoolchildren, and highlighted a joint US-Nigeria task force aimed at combating terrorism in the North-East and killings in the Middle Belt. However, he urged global action to address what he called an underreported “genocide.”

“There are more than 600,000 Christians in IDP camps in Benue State alone,” Moore wrote on X. “They told harrowing stories that will remain with me for the rest of my life.”

The delegation’s fact-finding mission is part of a larger US effort to pressure Nigeria on human rights. Moore’s accounts have already drawn attention on social media and in international outlets, with advocates calling for increased humanitarian aid, sanctions on perpetrators, and stronger diplomatic measures.

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