Speaking during an interview with Rachel Campos-Duffy on Fox & Friends, the lawmaker said the level of religious violence in Nigeria had reached catastrophic levels, urging the U.S. government to take immediate action.
United States Congressman, Riley Moore, has again called for Nigeria to be re-designated as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) following what he described as the alarming persecution and mass killings of Christians in Africa’s most populous nation.
Speaking during an interview with Rachel Campos-Duffy on Fox & Friends, the lawmaker said the level of religious violence in Nigeria had reached catastrophic levels, urging the U.S. government to take immediate action.
“A real tragedy is taking place in Nigeria. Christians are being persecuted and martyred for their faith,” Moore said.
“That is why I wrote a letter urging Senator Marco Rubio and the U.S. State Department to designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern. We must defend our brothers and sisters in Christ.”
Campos-Duffy, citing verified reports, revealed that over 18,000 churches have been burned down in Nigeria since 2009, while more than 50,000 Christians have been killed and 5 million displaced.
She added that 7,000 Christians have already been killed in 2025 alone, making Nigeria one of the most dangerous countries in the world for Christians.
Moore explained that the CPC designation would have real policy consequences, including the suspension of arms sales and security assistance to Nigeria.
“That means limiting security assistance, including arms sales, training, and military cooperation,” he said.
“These programs were meant to help Nigeria eliminate Boko Haram, but what we’ve seen instead are continued massacres by Boko Haram, ISIS-West Africa (ISWAP), and Fulani militants targeting Christian communities.”
He also noted that Senator Ted Cruz had introduced a similar appeal urging the U.S. government to restore the designation.
“President Trump had placed Nigeria on that list. President Biden later removed it,” Moore said. “What we’re asking now is for that designation to be reinstated, because when it was in place, it helped reduce the killings of Christians.”
Campos-Duffy added that American taxpayers should not be complicit in funding governments that fail to protect their citizens.
“If a government is not protecting Christians, then the United States should not be giving them any money, weapons, or training,” she said. “Please, Congressman, stay on this issue. You’ve been such a strong and courageous voice.”
Moore thanked her and vowed to continue pushing for bipartisan action on Capitol Hill, saying, “God bless you, Rachel.”
Nigeria has faced mounting international criticism for its inability to curb recurring attacks by Islamist insurgents and armed herdsmen in the country’s Middle Belt and North-East regions. Rights groups, including Amnesty International and Open Doors International, have repeatedly described the killings as systematic and targeted violence against Christians, though Nigerian authorities continue to frame the crisis as one rooted in land disputes, terrorism, and economic hardship — not religion.
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