U.S. Congressman Riley M. Moore on Monday presented a report alleging widespread persecution of Christians in Nigeria to President Donald Trump at the White House, posting a photograph of himself on X holding a manila envelope containing the document.
“Just presented our report on the persecution of Christians in Nigeria to the White House,” Moore wrote. “More to come.”
The submission follows a recent fact-finding visit to Nigeria by Moore and other members of a U.S. delegation, amid sustained lobbying in Washington by groups that have described the violence as amounting to a “Christian genocide.” The report’s contents were not immediately made public.
Nigeria’s government under President Bola Tinubu has repeatedly rejected claims that Christians are being systematically targeted, saying the country’s security challenges stem from criminality and insurgency rather than religious cleansing.
The issue attracted renewed international attention last year when the Trump administration redesignated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern over religious freedom. In a related development, U.S. officials said the President ordered airstrikes against terrorist elements in Sokoto on Christmas Day, a move described as aimed at degrading extremist networks.
Moore’s move underscores that religious violence in Nigeria remains a focus of debate in Washington, with potential diplomatic and security implications for Africa’s most populous nation. It also comes as advocacy groups and some lawmakers press for further U.S. action, while Nigerian authorities call for a focus on combating militancy and criminal gangs.
Requests for comment to the White House and to Congressman Moore’s office were not immediately returned. The Nigerian embassy in Washington has previously declined to characterize domestic unrest as religious persecution, urging international partners to cooperate on security and development measures.
