A visiting United States lawmaker, Rep. Riley Moore, has drawn global attention after witnessing harrowing accounts of violence against Christians during his recent trip to Benue State, Nigeria. His observations have reignited international concern over the escalating attacks on rural communities in the region.
Moore, who traveled to Nigeria specifically to investigate what he perceives as a growing pattern of genocide against Christian communities, shared his findings on Wednesday via his official X (formerly Twitter) account, shedding light on the plight of displaced persons living in dire conditions across the state.
Harrowing Sight Inside the IDP Camps
During his visit, Moore reported seeing over 600,000 displaced Christians residing in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps scattered across Benue State. These individuals, he explained, were violently uprooted from their ancestral homes by armed bandits, kidnappers, and terrorist groups that continue to terrorize rural areas.
The lawmaker described the stories he heard from survivors as deeply traumatic, stating that they “would remain with me for the rest of my life.” He emphasized that the suffering he witnessed reflects a disturbing pattern of targeted attacks aimed at displacing Christian communities and destroying entire families.
Survivors Share Painful Stories
Moore recounted meeting dozens of survivors who shared chilling accounts of how their families were violently attacked. Many of these survivors have been left to rebuild their lives in overcrowded and under-resourced IDP camps, struggling to cope with the loss of loved ones and the destruction of their homes.
One woman told Moore she was forced to watch as attackers killed her husband and five children. She narrowly escaped with her unborn child, a harrowing experience she described as “the darkest moment of her life.”
Another survivor recounted the traumatic experience of having her entire family murdered in front of her eyes, including the violent removal of her baby from her womb, leaving her physically and emotionally scarred. Meanwhile, a male survivor revealed how his wife and children were brutally hacked to death, resulting in a permanent injury to his arm and a lifetime of pain and grief.
Growing Fears Over Targeted Attacks
Moore warned that the scale of the crisis is alarming, highlighting that more than 600,000 Christians are currently living in IDP camps in Benue alone. He described the situation as unacceptable, calling on both local and international stakeholders to take urgent action to protect vulnerable communities from continued violence.
He emphasized the right of these communities to live safely in their ancestral homelands, stating: “These Christians should be able to live in their ancestral homeland without fear of genocidal Fulani attacks.” Moore’s visit underscores the urgent need for sustained humanitarian aid, security reforms, and dialogue to prevent further loss of life and restore peace in affected areas.