A United States congressman, Riley M. Moore, has called on the Nigerian government to allow states to establish their own police forces, citing ongoing attacks on Christian communities as evidence of the urgent need for decentralized security.
Moore made the remarks on his X account late Wednesday, highlighting persistent violence in the country’s Middle Belt and other regions.
“Christians in Nigeria continue to face brutal violence and death at the hands of radical Islamic terrorists,” he wrote. “The government in Abuja must step up and protect their citizens. It’s past time to decentralize police authority so state governments can protect their citizens and stop this horrific persecution.”
The comments followed a report shared by Sean Nelson, Senior Counsel and religious freedom advocate at ADF International, documenting an attack on St. James the Great Catholic Church in Adu, Taraba State. Nelson described the incident as “another Christian church destroyed by Fulani militants,” noting the ongoing pattern of targeted violence.
Moore also condemned a February attack in Adamawa State, where fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) reportedly killed 27 Christians and set at least 10 homes ablaze in Kirshinga community. Security researcher Brant Philip, who tracks extremist activity in West and East Africa, said ISWAP claimed responsibility for the attack.
According to reports, the militants warned Christians to either pay the jizyah tax, convert to Islam, or face death, a demand the group described as a “fair deal.”
Reacting to these developments, Moore stressed the need for stronger protection of religious minorities in Nigeria.
“Christians continue to be explicitly targeted for their faith in Nigeria,” he said. “ISIS-West Africa is slaughtering Christians and telling other Christians they must convert or die.”
Moore added that the issue had been raised in a report submitted to the White House, noting that future American support for Nigeria’s security efforts would depend on the government taking more decisive action to protect vulnerable communities.
“In our report to the White House, we made it clear that increased American support is contingent on the Nigerian government doing more to defend Christians,” Moore said. “Now is the time for Abuja to step up.”
The attacks highlight ongoing insecurity in Nigeria’s northeast, where extremist groups continue to target civilian populations, resulting in deaths, displacement, and destruction of property. Analysts warn that without urgent measures, sustained assaults on communities, particularly on religious grounds, could worsen instability in the region.
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