A United States congressman, Riley Moore, has described recent American airstrikes in North West Nigeria as the beginning of decisive action to halt the killing of Christians and confront the wider security crisis in the country.
Moore said the strikes, which he noted were carried out in coordination with the Nigerian government, underscored the resolve of the administration of President Donald Trump to respond forcefully to terrorism and religiously motivated violence.
In a statement posted on his X handle on Friday, the lawmaker said the military action marked “just the first step to ending the slaughter of Christians and the security crisis affecting all Nigerians.”
“President Trump has been clear that the killing of Christians in Nigeria must end,” Moore said. “As I stated at the outset, do not test President Trump’s resolve in this matter.”
The comments followed reports that US forces, acting under Trump’s directive, carried out airstrikes against ISIS-linked terrorist elements operating in parts of northwestern Nigeria.
Confirming the development, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the operation was executed with the cooperation of the Nigerian government.
“The President was clear last month: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria and elsewhere must end,” Hegseth wrote on social media. “The Department of War is always ready. Grateful for Nigerian government support and cooperation.”
Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs later confirmed that the airstrikes were part of structured security and intelligence cooperation with international partners aimed at degrading terrorist networks and countering violent extremism.
Moore recently concluded a fact-finding mission to Nigeria, where he led a five-member congressional delegation to investigate reports of attacks on Christian communities. He described the situation he encountered as deeply disturbing.
During the visit, the delegation met with internally displaced persons, survivors of terrorist attacks, Christian leaders and traditional rulers in Benue State. The team also held discussions with Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi.
In an interview with Fox News, Moore recounted what he described as harrowing testimonies, including that of a woman who lost five children while pregnant and another who lost her husband, two daughters and her unborn child.
“This is one of the most dangerous states in Nigeria,” he said. “There is an effort to erase Christians in Benue and across Nigeria from their ancestral homeland.”
Moore disclosed that President Trump had instructed him and the Chairman of the US House Appropriations Committee, Tom Cole, to submit a detailed report with recommendations by the end of the month.
The report, he said, would shape Washington’s next steps following Nigeria’s designation as a “Country of Particular Concern” over allegations of widespread killings of Christians and worsening insecurity.
According to Moore, the recent airstrikes signal a shift from rhetoric to action as the United States weighs further measures to address violence and instability in Nigeria.
Leave a Reply