Allegations of Unjustified Military Aid and Ongoing Violence Against Christians in Nigeria
A US lawmaker, Riley Moore, has raised serious concerns about the Federal Government’s failure to justify the billions of dollars in military assistance it receives from Washington. He claims that this aid is being provided without sufficient justification, especially given the ongoing violence against Christians in the country.
Moore, who leads an investigative committee established by former US President Donald Trump to examine the alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria, made these remarks during an interview on The Dinesh D’Souza Show on Thursday night. He expressed deep concern over the continued killings of Christians, stating, “My brothers and sisters in Christ are murdered for practising their faith and belief in our Lord Jesus Christ.”
He criticized both Nigerian authorities and the international community for remaining silent on the issue for years. Moore warned that if the violence continues unchecked, it could lead to far-reaching consequences. “If we don’t address this, if we don’t do something about this, and some terrorists take hold in Nigeria, I promise you, we would have to address it one way or the other,” he said.
Moore emphasized the need for cooperation between the US and Nigeria to tackle the problem. “I think there is a potential very quickly to partner, and I am hoping they would partner with the US government to address this because we have been providing them billions of billions of dollars worth of security assistance,” he explained.
He pointed out that the US has provided training and equipment to Nigeria’s security forces, which were meant to address such issues. However, he noted that the problem remains unresolved, and the protection of Christians is not a priority for the Nigerian government.
Moore lamented that the violence has gone largely unnoticed for too long. “The pieces are in place to address this; it has been flying under the radar, and nobody has cared about this for a very long time,” he said. “But if we are not going to stand up for this, for the very values we have as Christians — and I am not talking of nation building, democracy — we are talking about going on to protect Christians from murder.”
He described the situation as a “forgotten genocide” and called for immediate, concrete action from Nigeria and its allies. Earlier, Moore pledged to submit a report to Trump soon, stating, “Thank you, President Trump, for your incredible leadership in defending persecuted Christians, especially in Nigeria. Your bold and decisive action to protect our brothers and sisters in Christ will save thousands of lives. I am on it and will have more for you soon.”
Trump had previously reiterated his stance that Nigeria faces what he called a crisis of religious persecution. “Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria; thousands and thousands of Christians are being killed, and radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter,” he said in a post on his Truth Social platform.
He declared Nigeria a country of particular concern, a legal definition, and instructed US lawmakers to act swiftly. Trump also warned that the United States “cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening in Nigeria and other countries,” hinting at potential military intervention if the killings continue.
However, the Federal Government has rejected this characterization, denying that the violence amounts to genocide. Officials argue that Nigeria’s security challenges affect both Christians and Muslims and emphasize that the country’s constitution guarantees freedom of religion for all citizens.