A United States lawmaker has criticised the Nigerian government’s response to a recent report by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), which alleged that armed Fulani militant groups were responsible for widespread killings, attacks, abductions and displacement across Nigeria.
The USCIRF report claimed that approximately 30,000 armed Fulani militants have been involved in some of the deadliest attacks on religious communities, particularly in Nigeria’s North-West and Middle Belt regions.
According to the commission, violence attributed to Fulani militant groups resulted in more deaths among religious communities over the past year than attacks carried out by other insurgent or criminal organisations operating in the country.
The report further alleged that more than 1.3 million people had been displaced from the Middle Belt region as a result of attacks that involved the destruction of homes, churches and farmlands.
Reacting to the Nigerian government’s response to the findings, the U.S. lawmaker reportedly accused authorities of downplaying or disputing the allegations instead of taking stronger measures against those responsible for the violence.
The criticism comes amid growing concerns among some U.S. officials and advocacy groups over insecurity, religious violence and the protection of vulnerable communities in Nigeria.
USCIRF also alleged that some attacks were deliberately timed to coincide with major Christian celebrations, including Christmas and Easter. The report claimed that rural communities, religious leaders and places of worship were frequently targeted by the attackers.
However, Nigerian authorities have consistently rejected assertions that the violence is primarily religious in nature. Government officials have maintained that the insecurity is driven by a complex combination of criminality, farmer-herder conflicts, banditry and other socio-economic factors rather than religious persecution.
The latest report has renewed international debate over the nature of violence in parts of Nigeria and the measures needed to address the country’s ongoing security challenges.
