A U.S. congressman, Riley Moore, says he has introduced a new bill aimed at addressing what he calls rising religious violence in Nigeria.
The proposed legislation is titled the “Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026.” Moore announced it on Tuesday, both in an interview and in a post on X.
He described the situation in parts of Nigeria’s Middle Belt and the north as a “blood bath,” claiming that as many as 300 people may have been killed in the past 10 days.
Moore alleged that residents identified the attackers as “Islamic radical jihadists,” and cited reports of kidnappings and attacks on villages, including a case where a priest and 10 parishioners were abducted, with three later killed.
He also claimed that in one state, about 150 people were killed, including Muslims who he said were targeted for refusing to submit to Sharia law. He further alleged that some Christians were burned inside a church that was set on fire.
The Republican lawmaker said the U.S. is working with Nigeria in a “non-combative” way, noting that American special forces are assisting and that a security cooperation roadmap has been signed. He added that U.S. security assistance has been conditioned under a recent funding bill signed into law by President Donald Trump.
Moore acknowledged that President Bola Tinubu has deployed an army battalion to affected areas, but argued that deeper reforms are needed. He called for a federalised police system that would give states more power to secure their communities.
In his X post, Moore said he is sponsoring the bill alongside Congressman Chris Smith, adding that the U.S. should stand with persecuted Christians globally.
The lawmaker said the bill builds on the momentum of President Trump’s designation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” and the recent U.S.-Nigeria security framework agreement.
