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US lawmaker alleges Tinubu complicity in mass killings of Christians.
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He calls on U.S. to halt arms sales and designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern.
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Presidency dismisses genocide claims, insisting Nigeria remains united across faiths.
A United States US lawmaker, Hon. Riley M. Moore, has accused the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of “downplaying” what he described as the massacre of over 7,000 Christians in Nigeria, claiming that corrupt elements within the government may be complicit in the attacks.
In a letter to U.S. State Secretary Marco Rubio, Moore who represents West Virginia’s 2nd District in the U.S. House of Representatives urged the Donald Trump administration to immediately designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) and suspend all arms sales and technical support until the Nigerian government demonstrates commitment to ending what he called a “reign of persecution and slaughter.”
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Moore stated that the Nigerian government had sought to downplay the genocide against Christians by framing the violence as a general problem of terrorism affecting all faiths.
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“While Nigerians of all faiths face terrorism and death at the hands of extremists, Christians are far and away the most targeted for persecution and violence,” the congressman said.
He alleged that Muslim extremist groups such as ISIS-West Africa, Ansaru, and Boko Haram remain major perpetrators of violence against Christian communities but warned that “corrupt cells within the Nigerian government may also be complicit, and even directly involved, in some of these attacks.”
Citing data from Open Doors, Moore claimed that more than 7,000 Christians had been killed in Nigeria in 2025 alone — an average of 35 deaths per day.
“This includes at least 50 Christians brutally martyred on Palm Sunday and another 200 killed in June,” he wrote. “Since 2009, more than 19,000 churches have been attacked or destroyed, and at least 15 million people displaced by violence and terror.”
Moore added that 850 Christians remain in captivity in jihadist camps and that hundreds of clergy have been attacked or killed since 2015, describing the situation as “horrific and intolerable.”
Call for U.S. intervention
The congressman called on Washington to “take immediate action” to halt the killings, enforce religious freedom protections, and hold Nigerian officials accountable for alleged complicity in terrorism.
He also referenced Senator Ted Cruz’s proposed Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act, which seeks sanctions against Nigerian government officials accused of enabling persecution and implementing “blasphemy laws.”
Tinubu, presidency reject allegations
Reacting to the allegations, President Bola Tinubu dismissed the genocide narrative during a recent visit to Plateau State, insisting that Nigeria remains a united, multi-faith nation.
“Let me say clearly: Nigeria is a proud, sovereign nation built on faith and resilience. No faith is under siege and no community is excluded,” Tinubu said. “Our churches, mosques, and traditional shrines stand side by side as symbols of unity. We will not allow outsiders to define who we are or divide us.”
Similarly, Mr Sunday Dare, presidential spokesperson, dismissed the genocide allegations as “a false narrative.”
“Orchestrating wild claims about unproven genocide in Nigeria is baseless. We reject attempts to robe our country in a garment that is not hers,” Dare wrote in an article published Monday.
