A member of the United States Congress, Rep. Riley Moore, has rejected any move to remove Nigeria from the US list of Countries of Particular Concern (CPC), insisting that the designation should remain in place amid continued attacks on Christian communities in parts of the country.
Moore made his position known on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, in a post on his official X handle while reacting to a statement by the US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs concerning the latest violence in Nigeria’s Middle Belt.
The Republican lawmaker backed Washington’s call for the Nigerian government to strengthen protection for Christian communities and hold those responsible for attacks accountable.
“We absolutely CANNOT remove the CPC designation from Nigeria while radical Islamic terrorists continue this horrific violence against Christians,” Moore wrote.
“@AsstSecStateAF is right. The Nigerian government must meet its commitments to protect innocent Christian communities,” he added.
Moore was reacting to a statement by the US Bureau of African Affairs condemning a recent attack in Plateau State in which more than 24 people were reportedly killed, with several others still missing.
The Bureau described the incident as another “murderous attack” in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, expressing concern that the violence occurred amid ongoing discussions over Nigeria’s CPC designation.
“The United States is horrified by yet another murderous attack in the Middle Belt of Nigeria, killing dozens of people asleep in their homes in Plateau State.
“This is especially troubling coming on the heels of the recent CPC Working Group meeting. We extend our deepest condolences to the families of those missing and killed, and we strongly urge the Nigerian government to meet their commitments to protect Christian communities and to hold perpetrators of violence accountable,” the Bureau said.
Residents of the affected Plateau communities had reported that the attackers invaded the villages at night and opened fire on residents in their homes, leaving several families displaced and others mourning their loved ones.
Community leaders condemned the attacks as “barbaric and senseless” and called for increased deployment of security personnel to rural communities they said had repeatedly come under attack.
Moore’s intervention, coming alongside the latest statement from the Bureau of African Affairs, signals renewed pressure from US lawmakers and officials over Nigeria’s handling of persistent violence in Plateau, Benue and other parts of the Middle Belt.
The Nigerian government has, however, repeatedly rejected claims that the conflicts are primarily driven by religious persecution, attributing much of the violence to disputes over land and resources, communal tensions and criminal activities.
The United States first designated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern in 2020 under the International Religious Freedom Act. The designation applies to countries deemed to have engaged in or tolerated systematic, ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom.
Nigeria was removed from the CPC list in 2021 but remained under close monitoring by the US State Department.
The Trump administration subsequently returned Nigeria to the CPC list last year, following renewed concerns over attacks and alleged religious persecution.
Since then, the US-Nigeria Joint Working Group referenced by the Bureau of African Affairs has met twice to assess developments following the designation and examine measures being taken by the Nigerian government to address Washington’s concerns.
The CPC designation is subject to an annual review by the US State Department, with the next review scheduled for November.
