A member of the United States Congress, Rep. Riley Moore, has opposed any move to remove Nigeria from the US Country of Particular Concern (CPC) designation, citing continued attacks on Christian communities in the Middle Belt.
Moore’s position followed renewed concerns by the US government over the security situation in Plateau State, where more than 24 people were reportedly killed in a recent attack.
In a post on his official X handle on Thursday, Moore backed the US State Department’s call for the Nigerian government to strengthen the protection of Christian communities and hold perpetrators of violence accountable.
“We absolutely cannot remove the CPC designation from Nigeria while radical Islamic terrorists continue this horrific violence against Christians,” Moore said.
The congressman was reacting to a statement by the US Bureau of African Affairs condemning the latest attack in Plateau State.
The Bureau said it was “horrified” by the attack in the Middle Belt, where dozens of people were reportedly killed while asleep in their homes. It also expressed concern over the timing of the attack, coming shortly after a CPC Working Group meeting on Nigeria.
The US government urged the Nigerian authorities to fulfil their commitments to protect Christian communities and ensure that those responsible for the violence were brought to justice.
Residents of the affected Plateau communities said the attackers invaded the villages at night and opened fire on residents, leaving several people dead or missing and displacing families. Community leaders subsequently called for increased security deployments to protect rural communities from further attacks.
The latest statements from Moore and the Bureau are expected to intensify pressure on the administration of President Donald Trump over Nigeria’s CPC status, particularly amid continuing violence in Plateau, Benue and other parts of the Middle Belt.
The Nigerian government has, however, repeatedly rejected claims that the conflicts are primarily driven by religious persecution, maintaining that insecurity in the affected areas is linked to a combination of factors, including competition over land and resources, communal tensions, terrorism, banditry and criminality.
The US first designated Nigeria as a CPC in 2020 under the International Religious Freedom Act, which provides for the designation of countries found to have engaged in or tolerated systematic, ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom.
Nigeria was removed from the CPC list in 2021 but remained under close monitoring by the US State Department. The Trump administration restored the designation last year, while a US-Nigeria Joint Working Group has since held meetings to assess progress and measures taken by the Nigerian government to address Washington’s concerns.
The CPC designation is reviewed annually by the US State Department, with the next review scheduled for November.
Meanwhile, the Christian Elders and Professionals Consultative Council of Nigeria (CEPCCN) has backed concerns raised by the United States over the safety of Christian communities and the country’s worsening security situation.
In a statement titled, “CEPCCN Reacts to US Concerns Over Christian Persecution and Nigeria Security Crisis: A Call for Urgent Protection of Citizens, Accountability, Strategic Partnership and National Unity,” the council’s National Chairman, Bishop Alpha Ikpeama, said every Nigerian life deserved equal protection regardless of religious affiliation.
The council condemned attacks against Christians, churches, clergy and Christian communities because of their faith, while stressing that Muslims, traditional religious practitioners and other vulnerable groups also deserved protection.
CEPCCN called for thorough investigations into attacks motivated by religious identity and the prosecution of those responsible.
It also urged the Federal Government to improve intelligence gathering, early-warning mechanisms, rapid response capabilities, community protection and the prosecution of perpetrators of violence.
The council said Nigeria’s security challenges were complex and included terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, organised crime and communal tensions, requiring a citizen-centred response.
“Protect Christians. Protect Muslims. Protect traditional communities. Protect every Nigerian. Justice must be universal, and the value of human life must never depend upon religious identity,” the council said.
CEPCCN further urged the Federal Government to address legitimate international concerns through engagement rather than confrontation, while welcoming cooperation with international partners where such partnerships could strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to protect citizens and combat terrorism.
