Riley Moore, a member of the United States Congress, has urged the administration of President Donald Trump to adopt stronger measures aimed at safeguarding Christians in Nigeria after another deadly incident in Plateau State.
Moore made the appeal on Thursday while responding to reports and circulating footage from Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, where armed men reportedly attacked residents attending a mass funeral ceremony on Wednesday.
According to accounts from the community, the assailants stormed the gathering and opened fire on mourners who had assembled to bury seven individuals allegedly killed in a previous attack. Several persons were reportedly dead while many others sustained injuries during the assault. At the time the report was filed, security authorities had not issued an official confirmation concerning the incident.
In his reaction, Moore criticised the Nigerian government by comparing its recent military assistance to neighbouring Benin Republic with what he described as inadequate protection for vulnerable communities within Nigeria itself.
The lawmaker referenced Nigeria’s intervention in Benin during the attempted coup of December 2025, when troops and military aircraft were reportedly deployed to support the Beninese authorities against efforts to overthrow the government.
Moore argued that the speed with which Nigeria acted outside its borders sharply contrasted with the continued violence occurring in Plateau communities. He described the scenes from Barkin Ladi as deeply disturbing and accused the authorities of failing to protect Christian citizens facing repeated attacks.
He further alleged that Christians attending the funeral ceremony were targeted and killed by extremist militants, insisting that officials had allegedly received intelligence warnings before the attack occurred but failed to intervene effectively.
According to Moore, the Nigerian state possesses the capacity to dismantle violent groups responsible for the killings but has not demonstrated sufficient commitment to ending the bloodshed. He maintained that the continued deaths of innocent civilians, particularly Christians in the Middle Belt region, could no longer be ignored.
The congressman also stated that he was encouraged by the Trump administration’s inclusion of Christian protection in Nigeria as part of its broader counterterrorism agenda. However, he insisted that stronger and more decisive action from Washington was now necessary to support affected communities and address what he called persistent religious persecution.
Moore’s comments were backed by Sean Nelson, who praised the statement as powerful and timely.
Writing on X, Nelson said Moore accurately highlighted the seriousness of the persecution facing Christians in Nigeria as well as the alleged failure of authorities to respond adequately despite advance warnings of attacks. He added that the United States should intensify diplomatic and political pressure in line with its revised counterterrorism objectives.
The controversy followed Wednesday’s violence in Fan District of Barkin Ladi, where residents gathering for funeral rites reportedly came under heavy gunfire. Witnesses said the attackers descended from nearby hills and launched the assault while graves were still being prepared.
Journalist Masara Kim, who claimed to be present during the incident, stated that several communities south of Jos were simultaneously under attack. He explained that panic spread quickly as mourners abandoned the burial site and fled for safety after the shooting began.
The renewed violence has intensified accusations from some American conservative figures and advocacy organisations, including supporters of Trump and Ted Cruz, who claim Christians in Nigeria are victims of systematic religious violence.
Nigeria’s Federal Government has repeatedly denied allegations of genocide, insisting that insecurity across the country affects people of different faiths and stems from terrorism, banditry, and longstanding communal conflicts rather than targeted religious extermination.
