The Muslim Public Affairs Centre (MPAC) on Wednesday accused a recent U.S. congressional delegation of holding “sectarian” and one-sided meetings in Nigeria, saying the visit favoured Christian and traditional leaders while ignoring Muslim authorities and victims.
MPAC said the visit included a high-profile meeting by U.S. Rep. Riley Moore with Benue State church leaders and the Tiv traditional ruler.
Moore posted on X, “I came to Nigeria in the name of the Lord and on behalf of the American people. Just ending a very productive Congressional visit!”
The visit has drawn criticism because the MPAC says Muslim groups were not invited.
The MPAC press release said the delegation “avoided every major Muslim institution, including the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA).”
It called the choice “not a scheduling oversight. It was a message,” and warned the pattern could “undermine coexistence, fuel suspicion, embolden extremists and faith supremacists, and threaten the fragile fabric of peace between Nigeria’s faith communities.”
The group asked direct questions of U.S. and Nigerian officials: “Why was the NSCIA deliberately excluded? Why were Muslim victims of violence ignored while Christian leaders ... were prioritised?” the release said.
MPAC urged foreign delegations to be balanced and warned against letting “extremist religious lobbies abroad” shape U.S. policy on Nigeria.
Nigerian media confirmed the U.S. team met Benue clerics and traditional rulers during a fact-finding trip on violence in the Middle Belt.
Supporters of the U.S. visit say meetings with local Christian leaders were part of efforts to understand attacks in the state. But MPAC said true fact-finding requires meeting all communities harmed by violence.
