A report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has alleged that about 30,000 armed militants are currently operating across Nigeria, contributing significantly to insecurity and religious freedom violations in several parts of the country.
The report, released in May 2026 and titled “Nonstate Violators of Religious Freedom in Nigeria: Fulani Militants,” stated that the armed groups, operating in clusters ranging from 10 to 1,000 members, have become some of the deadliest non-state actors in Nigeria.
According to USCIRF, the activities of the militants have intensified insecurity across the Middle Belt and Southern regions, resulting in killings, displacement of communities and heightened religious tensions.
“Violence by militants caused the highest number of deaths among all religious communities in Nigeria over the last year as compared to attacks by organised insurgent groups and criminal gangs,” the report stated.
The commission noted that although many attacks targeted Christian communities, Muslim communities have also suffered killings, kidnappings and raids.
USCIRF explained that while the militant groups do not operate under a central leadership structure, some occasionally collaborate with criminal gangs and extremist organisations.
“These actors operate in a variety of contexts and with a multiplicity of likely aims and motivations,” the report stated.
The commission added that the militants often attack isolated rural communities at night, using motorcycles, machetes and automatic weapons to create fear and force residents to flee.
According to the report, at least 1.3 million people have been displaced in the Middle Belt due to the violence, with many victims now living in overcrowded camps lacking adequate security and sanitation.
USCIRF cited several incidents from 2025 and early 2026, including attacks in Benue and Plateau states that reportedly claimed hundreds of lives.
“One attack in Benue in June 2025 killed at least 200 people, including internally displaced persons living in a Catholic mission,” the report noted.
The commission also referenced the Yelwata attack in Benue State, where more than 200 Christians were reportedly killed and over 3,000 displaced.
According to USCIRF, some attacks were deliberately carried out during Christian religious celebrations such as Christmas, Easter and Palm Sunday to increase psychological impact on victims.
The report further detailed incidents in Niger, Kaduna and Plateau states involving killings, kidnappings and attacks on places of worship.
USCIRF stated that differing interpretations of the violence have complicated efforts to identify the exact motivations behind the attacks.
“Some observers have argued that environmental and economic factors are the driving force behind militants’ acts of violence, while others have suggested that these actors are engaged in a concerted campaign of outright genocide against non-Muslims, especially Christians,” the commission stated.
The report criticised both federal and state authorities for allegedly failing to respond effectively to the violence, noting complaints from victims that security agencies are often slow to react during attacks.
USCIRF also mentioned allegations by some Christian groups accusing security agencies of favouritism during investigations and security operations, although no official response was included in the report.
The commission noted that some state governments launched initiatives in 2025 to establish ranches for herders as part of efforts to reduce conflicts over grazing routes and farmland.
At the federal level, USCIRF linked recent government actions to the October 2025 decision by former US President Donald Trump to designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern over religious freedom violations.
According to the report, President Bola Tinubu subsequently classified kidnappers and violent armed groups, including Fulani militants, as terrorists in December 2025.
USCIRF also referenced security operations in January 2026 during which security agencies reportedly rescued over 300 hostages and arrested suspected militants in Kogi and Kwara states.
The report further highlighted growing international scrutiny of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), which has faced allegations from some Christian leaders over militant violence and land invasions.
However, MACBAN denied supporting criminal activities.
“We do not support, condone, harbour, finance, or protect any form of criminality, extremism or violence,” the association stated, according to the report.
Despite recent security interventions and peace initiatives, USCIRF warned that insecurity remains widespread across central Nigeria.
“As a result, central Nigeria remains entrenched in an intense, daily, and seemingly perpetual crisis of insecurity,” the report concluded.
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