A US legislator, Riley Moore, has called on President Donald Trump’s administration to take what he described as “forceful action” to defend Christians in Nigeria after repeated killings in Plateau State.
Moore made the appeal in a statement reacting to reports and videos from Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State where gunmen attacked mourners during a mass burial yesterday, reported The PUNCH.
Several persons are presumed dead and many others injured after the gunmen allegedly opened fire on villagers gathered for the burial of seven persons slain earlier in the community.
However, the police had not yet confirmed the attack as of the time of reporting this article.
In his remarks, Moore compared the military intervention of Nigeria in neighbouring Benin Republic during a coup attempt with what he termed the failure of the government to stop killings in areas of Plateau State.
“Then I went to Nigeria, and the government hurried to suppress a coup in Benin,” he claimed, alluding to Nigeria’s December 2025 dispatch of fighter jets and troops to back the Beninese government against an attempted takeover.
“Nigeria’s willingness to step in to stop a violent attack in another country, while they stand by as their own Christian citizens are brutalised, makes these absolutely horrific scenes unfolding in Plateau State all the more unconscionable,” Moore said.
He said Christians gathered for a mass funeral “were viciously murdered by radical Islamic terrorists,” adding the Nigerian government had failed to act despite warnings of coming attacks.
“Government of Nigeria has the capacity to end the terrorism and martyrdom of its own people. But even when they have information of attacks coming, they are nowhere to be found when Christians are being slain for their religion, like sheep being brought to the slaughter. “Enough is enough,” he added.
“I am also encouraged that the Trump administration has identified the protection of Christians in Nigeria in its counterterrorism strategy,” Moore said. “Now, I am asking the Trump Administration to take forceful action to defend our innocent brothers and sisters in Christ in the Middle Belt of Nigeria, the epicentre of an ongoing Christian genocide.
Sean Nelson, Senior Counsel for Global Religious Freedom at Alliance Defending Freedom International, also backed him up, calling Moore’s words “very forceful.”
Very robust statement from @RepRileyMoore on continuing terrible persecution of Christians in Nigeria & Nigerian govt unwillingness to respond properly to early warnings,” Nelson said in a post on X.
“And he’s absolutely right. Max US pressure needed, aligned with new counter terror strategy.
The statements followed yesterday’s attack in Fan District, Barkin Ladi, where mourners were fired upon while constructing graves for victims of an earlier attack.
“The attackers came from the surrounding hills and opened fire as the villagers were doing the burial,” said an eyewitness, journalist Masara Kim.
“There is a continuous large scale attack on communities south of Jos. More than five towns are being attacked simultaneously. “We were at the burial site when the gunmen came from the hills and started firing,” he claimed.
The attackers came while mourners were just able to dig a shallow grave, Kim said. Residents ran for their lives.
The incident comes as certain U.S. Republican lawmakers and advocacy groups, including allies of Trump and Sen. Ted Cruz, have increasingly argued that Christians in Nigeria are experiencing a “genocide” by Islamist terrorists.
The federal administration has repeatedly denied the charges, saying insecurity in the country affects both Muslims and Christians and is fueled by larger criminality, insurgency and sectarian conflict.
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