The United States government has blamed armed Fulani militias for what it described as an ongoing persecution and mass killing of Christians in Nigeria, sparking diplomatic tension between Washington and Abuja.

In a recent statement and series of reports by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), American officials accused Fulani militias of carrying out systematic attacks on Christian farming communities, particularly across the Middle Belt region of Nigeria.

The commission alleged that thousands of Christians have been killed, with many displaced from their ancestral homes, while government response has remained weak or nonexistent.

According to the 2025 USCIRF annual report, Fulani militia groups—estimated at over 30,000 armed members—have been responsible for several deadly raids in states like Plateau, Benue, Kaduna, and Nasarawa. The report further claimed that most of these attacks appear to target Christian communities, with villages burned, churches destroyed, and farmlands taken over.
In reaction to the report, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz and other lawmakers have introduced the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025, a bill that seeks to impose sanctions on Nigerian officials accused of turning a blind eye to “jihadist violence.”

The bill also calls for Nigeria to be redesignated as a “Country of Particular Concern” under U.S. religious freedom law. If passed, this could lead to restrictions on U.S. aid and arms sales to the Nigerian government.

Christian advocacy groups in Washington have gone further, urging the United States to officially classify the “Fulani Ethnic Militia” as a terrorist group. They describe the ongoing violence as a form of Christian genocide, warning that international inaction could worsen the crisis.


The Nigerian government has dismissed the U.S. claims, describing them as “misleading and politically motivated.”

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the violence in the Middle Belt is not a religious war but a mix of communal clashes, banditry, and economic hardship. Officials insist that both Christians and Muslims have been victims of attacks.

A senior government spokesperson maintained that the U.S. narrative oversimplifies a complex security situation driven by competition for land and resources, especially between farmers and herders.

The controversy comes amid reports of renewed killings in parts of Plateau State. In December 2023, suspected Fulani militias allegedly attacked several Christian villages, killing more than 200 people and displacing thousands.

Witnesses said the gunmen invaded the communities at night, setting homes ablaze and chanting religious slogans. Survivors told local media that entire families were wiped out while security forces arrived hours after the assault.

Civil rights groups, including Save the Persecuted Christians and Genocide Watch, have accused Nigerian authorities of failing to protect vulnerable communities. They warned that the pattern of attacks fits the United Nations’ definition of ethnic cleansing or religious persecution.

The U.S. position could strain relations with Nigeria, one of Washington’s key partners in Africa.
If the U.S. formally designates Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern,” it may lead to diplomatic sanctions and further international pressure on President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

Analysts warn that such a move could deepen divisions within Nigeria and complicate cooperation on security and counterterrorism.

However, rights groups maintain that international attention is necessary to end impunity and bring justice to victims of the attacks.

Security analysts caution that labeling the crisis as a purely religious conflict could inflame tensions further.
They argue that while there is evidence of religious targeting, the broader problem remains Nigeria’s weak governance, proliferation of arms, and failure to prosecute offenders.

Experts also call for the Nigerian government to strengthen early-warning systems, rebuild trust between communities, and tackle the root causes of herder–farmer clashes, including poverty and climate change.

The debate over Fulani militias and alleged Christian genocide continues to divide opinion both in Nigeria and abroad.
While the U.S. insists that the violence amounts to targeted persecution, Nigerian authorities reject that claim, arguing that it is part of a wider national security challenge.

As both sides stand firm, ordinary Nigerians—especially those in rural areas—remain the worst hit by the ongoing violence, caught between political blame games and the daily struggle for survival.