The United States congressional delegation, led by Congressman Riley Moore, has wrapped up its fact-finding visit to Nigeria over alleged genocide and is expected to brief President Donald Trump before the month ends.
The team, consisting of five members of Congress, arrived on Sunday and visited Internally Displaced Persons, survivors of terrorist attacks, Christian communities, Christian leaders and traditional rulers, particularly in Benue State.
They also met with the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).
Speaking on a Fox News programme hosted by Harris Faulkner on Thursday, Moore said the group heard chilling stories of killings allegedly carried out by Fulani and Islamic extremists, calling the experience the most unsettling of his career.
“It was really shocking — the stories we heard, the imagery. I have never witnessed anything like that in my life,” he said. “I met one woman who lost her entire family. Five of her children were murdered right in front of her while she was pregnant. She escaped and delivered her baby in an IDP camp. You can see that her soul has literally left her body. There are countless stories like these.”
He also highlighted another case involving a woman who lost her husband, two daughters, and her unborn child during an attack, noting that the nature of the violence suggested Christian communities were being intentionally targeted.
Moore said the delegation moved across Benue State in armoured vehicles because of security concerns, explaining that they met Catholic and Protestant leaders, bishops and community heads to gather what he called “ground truth”.
“This is a fact finding mission. Benue is one of the most dangerous states in Nigeria. This is where the majority of Christians are being murdered for their faith in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. But I felt we had to go,” he said.
He added that IDP camps were not spared from attacks, raising doubts about claims that the violence was linked to climate pressures or land conflicts.
“For those who say this is about climate change or economics, why would you burn down a church? Why would you attack an IDP camp screaming ‘Allahu Akbar’? It is very clear what the answer is,” he said. “They are trying to erase Christians in Benue State and across Nigeria from their ancestral homeland.”
Moore confirmed that President Trump instructed him and House Appropriations Chairman, Tom Cole, to prepare a comprehensive report on the situation.
“We will report back to the President and make recommendations. He has asked myself and Chairman Tom Cole to give him a report, and we are going to do that by the end of this month,” he added.
Trump had in late October designated Nigeria a ‘Country of Particular Concern’ over alleged Christian genocide, a position the Federal Government has rejected, insisting that Nigeria’s security challenges do not have any religious basis.
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