A United States lawmaker, Riley Moore, has shared disturbing accounts of violence suffered by Christian communities in Benue State during his recent visit to internally displaced persons (IDP) camps.
Moore, writing on X on Wednesday, said he met “dozens of Christians who were driven from their homes and subjected to horrific violence” and now live in camps across the state.
According to him, many of the survivors recounted experiences of brutal attacks that wiped out families and forced entire villages to flee.
He described the story of one woman who said she was made to watch as her husband and five children were murdered. She managed to escape with her unborn child.
Another woman, he added, told him her entire family was killed and her baby “was ripped from her womb.”
Moore also shared the account of a man whose family “was hacked to death in front of his eyes” while he survived with a permanently damaged arm.
The congressman estimated that over 600,000 Christians are currently living in IDP camps in Benue due to years of violent conflict involving farming communities and armed groups.
“These Christians should be able to live in their ancestral homeland without fear,” he wrote, urging global attention to the crisis.
During the visit, Moore met with Tiv and Catholic leaders, including Bishop Wilfred Anagbe, Bishop Isaac Dugu, and the Tiv traditional ruler, HRH James Ioruza. He said their discussions focused on what he described as “ongoing attacks” in the region.
Moore also noted that the United States will not ignore the testimonies he heard, calling his trip to Nigeria “deeply productive.”
He said he also held security discussions with National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu and other senior officials, touching on terrorism in the North-East and violence in the Middle Belt — issues he said are priorities for President Donald Trump and himself.
He praised Nigeria for the recent rescue of over 100 abducted Catholic schoolchildren, saying US concerns were “positively received,” but insisted that real progress must follow.
Ribadu, who confirmed the meeting, said the talks focused on counter-terrorism, regional stability, and strengthening security cooperation between Nigeria and the US.
The visit comes at a time of diplomatic tension after the US redesignated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” over alleged religious freedom violations — a move the Federal Government has consistently rejected, insisting that insecurity affects all citizens, regardless of faith.
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Moore said a joint task force between the two countries has now been established, but stressed that “openness must translate into concrete action.”
Meanwhile, US officials have continued to raise concerns about religious violence in Nigeria. Last week, House Republicans highlighted fresh reports of killings during a briefing ordered by President Trump, who instructed Moore and the House Appropriations Committee to investigate and report back to the White House.
Moore maintained that more work is needed and called for the global community to take the crisis in Benue seriously.
