A U.S. Congressional delegation completed a multi-day visit to Nigeria, where Rep. Riley Moore, R-W.Va., pressed government officials to take stronger action against extremist violence that has devastated Christian communities across the country.
Moore, who chronicled the trip on X, said the group met with federal officials, local leaders, and residents in Benue State — a Middle Belt region repeatedly targeted by Islamist militias and Fulani extremist groups.
“I came to Nigeria in the name of the Lord and on behalf of the American people,” Moore, a Catholic, wrote Dec. 7.
He described the visit as “very productive” and framed it as a diplomatic and spiritual effort to support persecuted Christians.
In a Dec. 8 post, Moore said the delegation held an extended meeting with Nigeria’s National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu in which they discussed “concrete steps and actions” to bolster security across Nigeria, destroy terrorist groups operating there, and stop the killing of Christians.
Moore also praised Nigerian authorities for “rescuing the 100 innocent and precious Catholic school children,” referring to the terrorists’ Nov. 21 abduction of hundreds of students and teachers at St. Mary’s Catholic Private School in Niger State. Reuters reported Dec. 8 that the government had successfully rescued the children. According to ABC News, more than 100 students and teachers still remain in captivity.
“This is a positive demonstration of the government’s increasing response to the security situation and shows commitment to the emergency declaration laid out by President Tinubu,” Moore said.
Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the president of Nigeria’s Armed Forces, announced Nov. 25 that he had ordered a “full security cordon” across remote regions of the country. The following day, he declared a nationwide security emergency, authorizing mass recruitment into the police and armed forces and directing security agencies to “flush out terrorists and bandits” from rural regions.
In his Dec. 8 statement, Moore added that the already established Nigeria-U.S. joint security task force could form the basis of a long-term cooperative framework.
However, he stressed that progress now requires “concrete action” from the country’s government.
“There is much work still to be done, but things are moving in the right direction. I look forward to the next steps with Nigerian government and the continued open dialogue,” he said. “Peace be with you all. God bless the great people of Nigeria.”
Ribad, in a Dec. 7 statement, described the visit as a “fact-finding mission” focused on counterterrorism cooperation, regional stability, and strengthening the bilateral security partnership.
“I’m optimistic this engagement will deepen trust, collaboration, and shared commitment to peace and security,” he added.
Reps. Mario Díaz-Balart, Norma Torres, Scott Franklin, Juan Ciscomani joined the meetings along with U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria Richard Mills.
The visit came weeks after Nigerian officials — including Tinubu — rejected U.S. findings of widespread religious persecution following President Donald Trump’s decision to designate Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern. As CatholicVote reported, Nigerian authorities insisted the country protects religious liberty and dismissed U.S. assessments as exaggerated.
Moore challenged those denials directly. He warned that the government must address “the current state of inaction” and cited extensive evidence of anti-Christian violence. Since 2009, he said, an estimated 50,000 to 100,000 Christians have been killed in Nigeria.
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