American legislator calls on Trump to respond decisively to violence in Plateau region

United States lawmaker Riley Moore has urged the administration of President Donald Trump to take decisive measures to safeguard Christians in Nigeria, following a fresh wave of violence in Plateau State.

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Moore's plea came in response to reports and footage from Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, where gunmen launched an attack on mourners during a mass burial on Wednesday, leaving several people feared dead and many injured.

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The incident, which has yet to be officially confirmed by the police, involved assailants opening fire on residents gathered to bury seven people previously killed in the community.

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In a statement, Moore drew a contrast between Nigeria's military intervention in the neighbouring Benin Republic during an attempted coup and the government's perceived inaction in the face of killings in parts of Plateau State.

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Moore cited Nigeria's deployment of fighter jets and troops to Benin in December 2025, saying "when I visited Nigeria, the government responded swiftly to quell a coup in Benin."

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He expressed dismay that Nigeria would intervene to stop violence in another country while failing to protect its own Christian citizens, describing the situation in Plateau State as "absolutely horrific."

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Moore alleged that Christians attending a mass burial were "viciously murdered by radical Islamic terrorists," and that the Nigerian government had failed to act despite receiving warnings of impending attacks.

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The lawmaker stated that the Nigerian Government has the capability to root out terrorism and stop the persecution of its citizens, but has failed to do so, leaving Christians to be "murdered for their faith, like lambs led to slaughter."

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Moore welcomed the Trump administration's identification of Christian protection in Nigeria as part of its counterterrorism strategy and called for "forceful action" to defend Christians in the Middle Belt of Nigeria.

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His stance was supported by Sean Nelson, Senior Counsel for Global Religious Freedom with Alliance Defending Freedom International, who described Moore's comments as "very forceful" and advocated for maximum US pressure to address the issue.

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Nelson's comments followed the attack on mourners in Fan District, Barkin Ladi, where journalist Masara Kim reported that attackers emerged from surrounding hills and opened fire on villagers conducting a burial.

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According to Kim, the attackers struck just as mourners had "barely dug a shallow grave," forcing residents to flee for safety amidst a "massive attack" on multiple communities south of Jos.

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The incident has added to growing claims by some US conservative politicians and advocacy groups, including allies of Trump and Senator Ted Cruz, that Christians in Nigeria are facing a "genocide" at the hands of Islamist militants.

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The Federal Government has consistently rejected these allegations, arguing that insecurity in Nigeria affects both Muslims and Christians and is driven by broader factors such as criminality, insurgency, and communal conflict.