Christian farming communities under siege as US report names Fulani militants Nigeria's deadliest threat

JOHANNESBURG — An estimated 30,000 mostly Muslim Fulani militants are operating successful Nigeria, causing "worsening insecurity and belief state violations," according to an influential caller report.

The report, by nan U.S. Commission connected International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), states "violence by Fulani militants caused nan highest number of deaths among each belief communities successful Nigeria complete nan past year, arsenic compared to attacks by organized insurgent groups and criminal gangs."

The Fulanis, alleged herders of livestock, have, according to nan USCIRF report, "targeted Christian (farming) communities successful nan Middle Belt and, increasingly, nan South, burning homes and churches arsenic good arsenic kidnapping, raping, and murdering."

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Funerals were held for astir 27 Christians reportedly killed by Islamist Fulani tribesmen successful Bindi village, Plateau State, Nigeria, connected July 28, 2025. (Christian Solidarity International)

But a erstwhile counterterrorism master astatine the State Department told Fox News Digital that nan benignant of strikes nan U.S., moving with Nigerian authorities forces, person precocious carried retired successful Nigeria’s North against Islamist violent organizations specified arsenic Boko Haram and Islamic State, wouldn’t activity against nan Fulanis successful nan predominantly Christian cardinal areas of nan country.

Sterling Tilley, erstwhile acting head of nan Bureau of Counterterrorism, who has worked successful Nigeria for nan State Department, said that nan U.S. "militarily dealing pinch nan farmer-herder conflict is not advisable because it is apt to bring much instability successful nan country." Tilley, now head of nan Thomas R. Pickering Graduate Foreign Affairs Fellowship astatine Howard University, added, "There are immoderate steps that tin beryllium taken to quell nan violence, but location must beryllium Nigerian governmental will to do so."

Young group protestation against nan killings pursuing a deadly onslaught by Fulani militants connected Christian-majority villages successful Benue state, that near 218 group dormant and 6,000 displaced. The protestation took spot successful Benue state, connected June 2025. (Open Doors UK)

This week, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth commented connected nan caller strikes ordered by President Donald Trump connected Nigeria, saying, "Maybe a twelvemonth ago, [the president] heard nan telephone of Nigerian Christians who were being targeted and killed by ISIS. And he said, 'Pete, I want nan War Department to attraction connected ensuring that we do everything we tin to protect those Christians.'"

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Christians dress up astir 48% of Nigeria’s population. Fulani militants, nan USCIRF study stated, "have often carried retired operations during Christian holidays specified arsenic Christmas aliases Easter to further maximize nan psychological impact, terrifying those communities from gathering to observe aliases worship. During attacks, assailants sometimes utter slogans pinch belief connotations, specified arsenic "Allahu Akbar" (Arabic for "God is great"). 

But, according to nan report, Muslims are being attacked too. "Fulani assailants person not spared Muslims, raiding herders’ cattle and violently attacking non-Fulani Muslim communities," nan study added.

Coffins get astatine Ibrahim Babanginda Square successful Makurdi, Benue State, connected Jan. 11, 2018, during a ceremonial work for victims of clashes betwixt Fulani herdsmen and natives of Guma and Logo districts. (Pius Utomi Ekpei/AFP)

"Violence astatine nan hands of militants from nan Fulani people acold outnumbers unit from each different militant groups specified arsenic Boko Haram aliases ISWAP (Islamic State West African Province)," Henrietta Blyth, CEO of Open Doors UK & Ireland, an statement that highlights nan persecution of Christians, told Fox News Digital.  

While her statement was not portion of nan report, she said, "My bosom has been surgery arsenic I person heard stories from women and men who person seen their beloved family members butchered successful beforehand of them aliases carried disconnected into a life of slavery." 

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Fulani moslem men believe successful Masallacin Shehu Mosque, Sokoto, Sokoto State, Nigeria, connected April 24, 2019.  (Luis Tato/AFP via Getty Images)

Blyth added: "The business is complicated, and arsenic nan study concludes, it is excessively simplistic to opportunity each perpetrators are religiously motivated. What is undisputable is that Christians are highly susceptible and often nan victims, paying nan value successful blood. They desperately request protection and, for hundreds of thousands driven from their homes, nan chance to heal and rebuild their lives."

The USCIRF study besides stated, "Criticism of responses to Fulani militant unit from national and authorities authorities has often described their responses arsenic unsatisfactory astatine champion and complicit astatine worst."

Tilley told Fox News Digital that elections are to beryllium held successful Nigeria adjacent year, and "the Fulani do person sizeable governmental power arsenic a voting block. Thus, nan Nigerian authorities seems reluctant to return actions basal to quell nan unit for fearfulness that they could suffer their guidelines of support successful nan North and Middle Belt."

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Fox News Digital reached retired to nan Nigerian authorities for comment, but did not person a consequence by publication time.