US Congressman Visits Benue, Calls for Global Attention to IDP Crisis

A United States Congressman, Riley Moore, has raised alarm over the scale of violence suffered by Christian communities in Benue State, following his visit to several internally displaced persons (IDP) camps on Wednesday, where he met survivors of deadly attacks.

Moore said he encountered dozens of displaced Christians who narrated horrifying experiences of killings that forced them from their ancestral homes, noting that the level of brutality described to him underscored the urgent need for international attention and intervention.

The congressman said he listened to accounts of families wiped out in violent attacks, including women who lost spouses, children and unborn babies, as well as men who survived with permanent injuries. He insisted that more than 600,000 Christians currently living in IDP camps in Benue require immediate humanitarian support and lasting security guarantees.

He also met with Tiv and Catholic leaders, including Bishop Wilfred Anagbe, Bishop Isaac Dugu, and His Royal Highness James Ioruza, where discussions centred on the continued attacks in the Middle Belt and what he described as long-standing threats faced by Christian communities in the region.

Moore stressed that the United States would not turn a blind eye to the suffering he witnessed, adding that his engagements with Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and other top officials would help strengthen counter-terrorism and peace-building collaboration between both countries.

“They told harrowing stories that will remain with me for the rest of my life. One woman was forced to watch as her husband and five children were killed; she and her unborn child barely escaped,” he said.

“Another survivor told me her entire family was murdered in front of her and her baby was ripped from her womb. A man recounted how his family was hacked to death while his arm was permanently mangled. These Christians deserve to live without fear in their homeland,” he added.

Moore said the concerns raised by the U.S. delegation were positively received by Nigerian authorities, noting that discussions also touched on regional stability, counter-terrorism cooperation and the newly established joint task force between Nigeria and the U.S., even as he emphasised that translating commitments into concrete action remains crucial.