United States Congressman Riley Moore says he will present a comprehensive report to President Donald Trump following his week-long fact-finding mission to Nigeria, where he led a five-member congressional delegation to assess insecurity and alleged religious persecution.
Moore, a Republican lawmaker, disclosed that the delegation travelled through Benue State in armoured vehicles due to heightened security threats.
During the visit, the team met with victims of attacks, internally displaced persons (IDPs), Christian associations, Catholic and Protestant leaders.
Speaking in an interview aired on Fox News and shared on X, Moore said the visit was aimed at gathering first-hand evidence of violent attacks targeting Christian communities.
“We went to Benue State, one of Nigeria’s most dangerous states and a place where many Christians are being murdered for their faith in Jesus Christ,” he said.
“We travelled in armoured vehicles with security escorts, met victims, and engaged with church leaders, including Bishop Anagbe and Protestant leaders, to get the true picture on ground.”
He added that President Trump had asked him and House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole to compile recommendations based on their findings.
“We are going to submit that report before the end of the month,” Moore stated.
Moore described the accounts shared by survivors living in IDP camps as “harrowing and unforgettable.”
“One woman lost her entire family — five children murdered before her eyes. She escaped while pregnant and later delivered her baby in an IDP camp,” he recounted.
“Another woman lost her husband and two daughters, and her unborn child was violently taken from her by attackers. I have never encountered anything like this in my life.”
He dismissed claims that the violence is driven only by environmental or economic issues.
“For those who say this is about climate change or land disputes, why burn churches or attack IDP camps while screaming religious slogans? It is clear what is happening, an attempt to erase Christians from their ancestral homeland,” he said.
During the trip, the delegation met with National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu in Abuja for discussions on counter-terrorism and regional stability.
Ribadu noted that the talks built on earlier engagements held in Washington.
Moore also visited traditional and religious leaders, including Bishop Wilfred Anagbe, Bishop Isaac Dugu, and Tor Tiv V, James Ioruza.
He commended the Nigerian government for the recent rescue of 100 abducted children in Niger State, describing it as “a positive step in President Bola Tinubu’s security efforts.”
Moore further revealed that a joint task force involving the US State Department and Nigerian officials has been established to examine concerns surrounding alleged religious persecution.
The visit comes as Nigeria pushes back against the recent US designation of the country as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), a label the Federal Government has strongly rejected.
