A United States Congressman, Riley Moore, has raised alarm over reports of threats against Christians in Nigeria, citing statements attributed to an Islamic State–affiliated group and calling the situation religious persecution.
Moore said on X on Thursday night that the debate over the motives behind attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria should be settled.
“If there were any remaining doubts that Christians in Nigeria are being targeted for their faith in Jesus Christ, this should end that debate.
“This isn’t about land usage, ‘climate change,’ or any other argument the Left wants to make. This is persecution of our brothers and sisters for their faith in Christ, plain and simple,” he wrote.
Moore was responding to posts circulating on X earlier in the day that said the Islamic State West Africa Province, known as ISWAP, released an image showing a Christian village in Adamawa State on fire.
According to those posts, the image was accompanied by a statement declaring that all Christians in Nigeria are legitimate targets and that they have an opportunity to “spare their blood” by converting to Islam or paying the jizyah tax to ISWAP.
The viral post read, “ISWAP released an image of one of the Christian villages in Adamawa State burning, alongside a statement saying that all Christians in Nigeria are legitimate targets, and they have an opportunity to ‘spare their blood’ by converting to Islam or paying the jizyah tax to ISWAP.”
Referencing those claims, Moore wrote, “ISIS is telling Christians they have an opportunity to ‘spare their blood’ if they convert. Our brothers and sisters will not bend the knee to anyone but our Lord and Savior though.”
Moore also pointed to US involvement with Nigerian authorities, saying, “Thankfully, @POTUS is continuing to work in cooperation with the Nigerian government to stop these Islamic radicals and defend our brothers and sisters in Christ.”
A week ago, President Donald Trump ordered the launch of US airstrikes targeting terrorist groups operating in parts of Nigeria.
“Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS terrorist scum in Northwest Nigeria, who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians, at levels not seen for many years, and even centuries! I have previously warned these terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was,” he wrote.
Although Trump did not name specific locations, the US Africa Command later confirmed that the strikes occurred in Sokoto State.
On Friday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the airstrikes, adding that Nigeria remained engaged in structured security cooperation with international partners, including the US, in addressing terrorism and violent extremism. The ministry stated that the cooperation had led to precision airstrikes on terrorist targets in the North-West.
Also, in a statement signed by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, FG clarified that the strikes targeted terrorist staging grounds.
It said the operation was conducted “in close coordination with the Government of the United States of America” and targeted “two major Islamic State terrorist enclaves located within the Bauni forest axis of Tangaza Local Government Area, Sokoto State.”
“Intelligence confirmed that these locations were being used as assembly and staging grounds by foreign ISIS elements infiltrating Nigeria from the Sahel region,” the statement said.
According to the government, the strikes were executed between 12:12 am and 1:30 am on December 26, following presidential approval and under Nigeria’s security command structure.
It disclosed that 16 GPS-guided munitions were deployed using MQ-9 Reaper unmanned platforms launched from maritime locations in the Gulf of Guinea.
Debris from the operation fell in parts of Sokoto and Kwara states, but authorities confirmed that no civilian casualties occurred.
