A new report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom has claimed that about 30,000 armed Fulani militants are operating across Nigeria, worsening insecurity and religious freedom violations in several regions of the country.
The report, titled Nonstate Violators of Religious Freedom in Nigeria: Fulani Militants, was released in May 2026 and cited by Punch Newspapers. It stated that the militants operate in groups ranging from 10 to 1,000 members and have become some of the deadliest non-state actors in Nigeria.
According to the commission, attacks linked to armed actors of Fulani ethnic background intensified violence across the Middle Belt and southern parts of Nigeria, leading to thousands of deaths and mass displacement.
The report stated that violence carried out by Fulani militants caused more deaths among religious communities in the past year than attacks by organised insurgent groups and criminal gangs.
USCIRF said many attacks targeted Christian communities, although Muslim communities had also suffered killings, kidnappings and raids.
The commission explained that while the groups do not operate under a central command structure, some collaborate with criminal gangs and extremist organisations.
The report stated, “These actors operate in a variety of contexts and with a multiplicity of likely aims and motivations.”
It added that some groups work alongside bandit gangs seeking financial gains and terrorist organisations promoting violent extremist ideologies.
According to the report, militants often attack isolated rural communities at night using motorcycles, automatic weapons and machetes to force residents from their land.
USCIRF said at least 1.3 million people had been displaced across the Middle Belt due to attacks by Fulani militants and other armed groups.
The report highlighted several deadly incidents recorded in 2025 and early 2026, including attacks in Benue State and Plateau State.
One of the incidents referenced was the June 2025 attack in Benue State that reportedly killed at least 200 people, including displaced persons sheltering in a Catholic mission.
The commission also referenced the Yelwata massacre in Benue State, where more than 200 Christians were reportedly killed and over 3,000 displaced.
USCIRF further claimed that some attacks were deliberately carried out during Christian religious celebrations such as Christmas and Easter to maximise psychological impact.
In February 2026, suspected Fulani militants reportedly killed at least 32 people in Niger State and attacked Holy Trinity Parish in the Kafanchan Diocese of Kaduna State, killing three people and abducting 11 others, including Father Nathaniel Asuwaye.
The report also documented attacks on Muslim worshippers, including the abduction of an imam and seven worshippers from a mosque in Plateau State in February 2026.
USCIRF said differing narratives around the violence had made it difficult to determine the exact motivations behind the attacks, with some observers linking them to environmental and economic pressures while others described them as religiously motivated violence.
The commission criticised both federal and state authorities for inadequate responses, stating that victims frequently complained about delayed security intervention during attacks.
The report linked renewed Federal Government action to the October 2025 decision by Donald Trump to designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern over religious freedom violations.
It added that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu subsequently classified kidnappers and violent armed groups, including Fulani militants, as terrorists in December 2025.
USCIRF also noted that security operations in January 2026 led to the rescue of 309 hostages in Kogi and Kwara states, with 129 suspected militants arrested and 55 killed.
The report further highlighted allegations levelled against the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria by some Christian leaders. However, the association denied supporting violence or criminality.
The commission warned that insecurity remained widespread despite ongoing security operations and peace initiatives.
