US Congressman Moore Presents “Christian Persecution” Report to President Trump at White House

WASHINGTON D.C. – In a high-level meeting at the White House on Monday, February 23, 2026, United States Congressman Riley Moore (R-WV) officially presented a detailed investigative report to President Donald Trump concerning the systemic persecution of Christians in Nigeria.

The report, which follows months of data collection and survivor testimonies, labels the ongoing violence in Nigeria’s Middle Belt and North-East as a “deliberate campaign of religious cleansing.” It comes on the heels of President Trump’s October 2025 decision to redesignate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) regarding religious freedom.

Chilling Statistics: 7,000 Killed in 2025

The findings presented by Congressman Moore paint a grim picture of the security situation facing Christian communities in Africa’s most populous nation. According to the document, over 7,000 Christians were murdered in Nigeria in 2025 alone—an average of 35 deaths per day.

Further data in the report indicates that approximately 19,000 churches have been destroyed since 2009, with over 250 members of the clergy killed within the last decade. Millions of Christians remain displaced, living in camps as their ancestral lands are occupied by armed groups.

Recommendations for “Direct Action”

Congressman Moore, backed by the House Committees on Appropriations and Foreign Affairs, proposed six “non-negotiable” actions for the Trump administration to consider:

1. Security Agreement: The establishment of a formal U.S.–Nigeria security pact focused specifically on protecting vulnerable religious minorities.
2. Conditional Funding: Withholding non-humanitarian U.S. financial assistance to the Nigerian government until measurable steps are taken to halt the killings.
3. Targeted Sanctions: Implementing visa restrictions and asset freezes on Nigerian officials or entities found complicit in or indifferent to religious persecution.
4. Eliminating Militias: Technical and intelligence support aimed at dismantling armed Fulani militias cited in the majority of Middle Belt attacks.
5. Legal Reforms: Pressing for the repeal of Sharia-based blasphemy laws, which the report claims are used to justify extrajudicial violence.
6. Global Coalition: Coordinating with allies, including Hungary, France, and the UK, to apply international pressure on Abuja.

The White House Stance

During the presentation, President Trump reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to protecting religious freedom globally. “We will not continue to ignore the cries of Christians in Nigeria,” the President reportedly stated, hinting that more “robust measures” could be taken if the violence persists.

The Trump administration has previously suggested that military hardware sales to Nigeria could be re-evaluated based on the country’s human rights record and its ability to protect all citizens regardless of faith.

Abuja’s Response

The Nigerian government has consistently denied allegations of religious genocide, attributing the bloodshed to “herder-farmer clashes,” banditry, and general criminality fueled by climate change and land competition. However, Moore’s report dismisses these claims as “convenient narratives” that mask a deeper ideological conflict.

As the report moves to the State Department for further review, diplomatic tensions between Washington and Abuja are expected to rise. Analysts suggest that the U.S. may soon appoint a Special Envoy for the Lake Chad region to oversee the implementation of these new recommendations.