U.S. Lawmaker Alleges 35 Christians Killed Daily in Nigeria, Backs Trump’s Probe

A United States congressman, Riley M. Moore, has claimed that an estimated 100,000 Christians have been killed in Nigeria since 2009, describing the situation as one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Moore alleged that over 7,000 Christians had been “martyred” in 2025 alone—translating to an average of 35 deaths daily.

“Between 50,000 and 100,000 Christians have been murdered in Nigeria since 2009. Seven thousand Christians have been martyred this year. That’s 35 murders per day. No more,” Moore stated.

He expressed appreciation to former U.S. President Donald Trump for what he described as his “strong leadership in defending persecuted Christians in Nigeria.” Moore said he was honoured to lead a congressional inquiry into the matter alongside House Appropriations Committee Chairman, Tom Cole.

Speaking in a recent interview with Newsmax, the lawmaker urged Washington to take concrete steps against those behind the killings.

His comments came shortly after President Trump reiterated that radical Islamist groups were responsible for attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria.

In a video message released by the White House, Trump said, “Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands and thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter.”

The former U.S. president announced that Nigeria had been officially designated a “country of particular concern” under U.S. law — a status that could trigger sanctions or other measures against countries accused of severe violations of religious freedom.

“I have directed Congressman Riley Moore and Chairman Tom Cole to immediately look into this matter and report back to me. The United States will not stand by while such atrocities occur,” Trump declared.

However, the Nigerian government dismissed the allegations, describing them as exaggerated and inconsistent with the country’s reality.

In a statement issued on November 1, President Bola Tinubu said, “Portraying Nigeria as intolerant does not reflect our national reality. Our administration continues to engage both Christian and Muslim leaders in addressing the security challenges confronting our nation.”

The Presidency maintained that Nigeria remains a multi-religious democracy committed to upholding freedom of worship and peaceful coexistence among all faiths.