By CHARLES IWUOHA

Another U.S. legislator, Riley Moore, has accused the Bola Tinubu administration of trying to sweep under the carpet the killings of 7,000 Christians in Nigeria, suggesting that corrupt elements within the Nigerian government may be involved in these attacks.

In a letter to U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio on Tuesday, Moore, who represents West Virginia’s 2nd District in the House of Representatives, urged the Trump administration to classify Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern and to suspend arms sales and related technical support until the Nigerian government shows a genuine commitment to ending the ongoing persecution and violence.

Moore stated that the Nigerian government has attempted to downplay the genocide against Christians, claiming that Nigeria faces a broader terrorism issue affecting all faiths.

He emphasized that while individuals of all faiths in Nigeria face threats from extremists, Christians are disproportionately targeted for persecution and violence.

He noted that this violence is primarily perpetrated by Muslim groups and is explicitly anti-Christian, criticizing the Nigerian government for attempting to minimize these realities amid widespread corruption that enables terrorist activities.

The lawmaker described Nigeria as home to at least 22 Islamic terrorist organizations linked to ISIS and other networks, highlighting groups like ISIS-West Africa, Ansaru, and Boko Haram as significant offenders.

He mentioned that Boko Haram recently attacked Kirawa, displacing thousands, and raised concerns about the potential complicity of corrupt government officials in these assaults.

Moore pointed out the alarming number of Christians facing daily persecution for their beliefs, including a shocking number who have been killed for their faith.

“Over 7,000 Christians have been murdered in Nigeria in 2025 alone, averaging 35 deaths per day.

“This includes at least 50 Christians brutally killed on Palm Sunday and another 200 in June.

“Reports from Open Doors indicate that more Christians are killed annually in Nigeria than in the rest of the world combined,” he stated.

“These ongoing persecutions have persisted for years without showing any signs of stopping.”

He called on the Trump administration to take urgent steps to address the systematic persecution and killings of Christians in Nigeria, emphasizing the severe impact of the Boko Haram insurgency on Christian communities and churches, with at least 250 Catholic clergy attacked since 2015, along with another 350 clergy members affected.

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