Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
The Riley Moore-led United States congressional delegation is to brief President Donald Trump after a fact-finding visit to Nigeria over allegations of widespread killings, especially against the christian faith.
The five-man team, which arrived in Nigeria on Sunday, spent days in Benue State and met with internally displaced persons (IDPs), survivors of attacks, Christian leaders, traditional rulers, and communities affected by the lingering insecurity crisis.
The delegation also had meetings with the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), in Abuja.
Congressman Moore, while speaking on a Fox programme hosted by Harris Faulkner on Thursday, said the visit was the most disturbing and troubling experience of his public career.
“It was really shocking, the stories we heard, the imagery. I have never witnessed anything like that in my life.
“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,” Moore said.
The delegation was transported around Benue in armoured vehicles due to the security threat, with Moore referring to the state as one of the most dangerous in the country.
“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.
“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. They are trying to erase Christians in Benue State and across Nigeria from their ancestral homeland.
“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,” Moore added.
Recall that Secretary of State Marco Rubio quoted president Donald Trump to have said in a statement that Trump administration is “taking decisive action in response to the mass killings and violence against Christians by radical Islamic terrorists, Fulani ethnic militias, and other violent actors in Nigeria and beyond.
“This policy will apply to Nigeria and any other governments or individuals engaged in violations of religious freedom,” he wrote.
The development comes weeks after President Donald Trump threatened to send US forces into Nigeria if Africa’s most populous country did not stem what he described as the killing of Christians by terrorists.
Trump also declared Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” over killings of Christians, describing the situation as a “Christian genocide.”
Nigerian authorities denied the claims, maintaining that attacks in Nigeria are driven by criminal motives, land disputes, and resource competition, rather than religious faith.
“Christian communities and Muslim communities have been attacked by these extremists,” Nigerian Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris Malagi told Al Jazeera last month.
The country faces multiple overlapping crises, including attacks by Boko Haram, ISIS (Daesh)-affiliated groups, bandits targeting farmers, and violent clashes between pastoralists and local communities.
The country is home to more than 200 ethnic groups, with roughly 56% Muslims and 43% Christians, according to the US-based Pew Research Center.