By Kofoworola Fakeye, JKNewsMedia Reporter
RAGING INSECURITY across Nigeria has drawn renewed concern after a United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) assessment estimated that about 30,000-armed Fulani militants operate in multiple regions of the country.
JKNewsMedia.com reports that the commission, in its May 2026 report titled Nonstate Violators of Religious Freedom in Nigeria: Fulani Militants, said the armed groups function in clusters ranging from around 10 fighters to as many as 1,000 members.
It described the groups as among the most lethal non state actors contributing to violence and violations of religious freedom, particularly in the Middle Belt and parts of southern Nigeria.
It also linked their activities to rising fatalities and large-scale displacement across affected communities.
USCIRF stated that violence attributed to Fulani militants caused the highest number of deaths among all religious communities in Nigeria over the past year when compared with attacks by organised insurgent groups and criminal gangs.
While many incidents were recorded in Christian communities, the report also stated that Muslims had suffered killings, kidnappings and raids.
The commission said the armed actors do not operate under a unified command structure. Instead, they function in loosely connected groups, with some factions collaborating with criminal gangs and extremist organisations.
It noted that while some groups carry out independent attacks, others coordinate with bandit networks and organisations described as espousing violent interpretations of Islam. The report also stated that the actors operate with varying aims and motivations.
Attacks were described as often involving night raids on rural settlements using motorcycles, automatic rifles and machetes. The commission said such tactics were used to spread fear and force residents to abandon their communities.
USCIRF estimated that violence involving these groups has displaced about 1.3 million people across the Middle Belt. It said many displaced persons now live in overcrowded camps with limited sanitation and security.
Several incidents were highlighted, including a June 2025 attack in Benue State in which at least 200 people were killed, among them internally displaced persons in a Catholic mission.
The report also referenced the Yelwata incident in Benue State, where more than 200 Christians, mostly women and children, were killed and over 3,000 people were displaced.
It further stated that some attacks coincided with Christian holidays such as Christmas and Easter, which it said intensified psychological impact on victims.
In Niger State, at least 32 people were reported killed in February 2026 in another incident linked to suspected armed attackers.
The commission also documented an attack on Holy Trinity Parish in the Kafanchan Diocese of Kaduna State, where three people were killed and 11 others abducted, including the parish priest, Father Nathaniel Asuwaye.
In Plateau State, armed men were reported to have kidnapped an imam and seven worshippers from a mosque, with abductors demanding ₦16 million ransom.
Additional incidents included Easter period attacks in April 2026, where five worshippers were killed at two churches in Kaduna State and 31 others were abducted. The report also recorded attacks in Plateau, Kaduna and Benue states during the same period.
USCIRF said interpretations of the violence remain divided, with some observers citing environmental and economic pressures, while others describe coordinated attacks against non-Muslim communities. It added that multiple overlapping factors, including religion in some cases, may contribute to the violence.
The report also raised concerns over security response, stating that affected communities frequently reported delays in intervention by security agencies. It further noted allegations from some Christian groups regarding bias in security operations.
Policy measures referenced included a June 2025 initiative by governors of 11 states to introduce ranching projects aimed at reducing clashes linked to grazing and farmland use.
International and federal developments were also cited, including a decision in October 2025 by former US President Donald Trump to designate Nigeria as a ‘Country of Particular Concern’ over religious freedom violations.
In December 2025, President Bola Tinubu reportedly classified kidnappers and armed groups, including Fulani militants, as terrorists.
Security operations in January 2026 led to the rescue of 309 hostages in Kogi and Kwara states as authorities also arrested 129 suspects and killed 55 others during the operations.
The report referenced the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, which faced accusations from some Christian leaders of failing to prevent violent incidents linked to armed herders.
JKNewsMedia.com also reports that the association rejected the allegations, stating that it does not support, condone, harbour, finance or protect any form of criminality, extremism or violence.
Additionally, USCIRF noted that the US Congress introduced the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026 in February, proposing sanctions against the association over alleged involvement in religious freedom violations.
Despite ongoing security operations and policy measures, the commission said insecurity remains widespread as it concluded that central Nigeria continues to face a persistent crisis of insecurity marked by repeated attacks and displacement.
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