A report released by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has revealed that ongoing violence in Nigeria’s Middle Belt has displaced no fewer than 1.3 million residents, with many now living in overcrowded and unsafe camps.

The commission, in its May 2026 report, linked the attacks to Fulani militants and other armed groups, stating that communities are often targeted through violent raids aimed at forcing residents to flee their ancestral homes.

According to the report, the attacks are frequently carried out at night to create fear and enable armed actors to gain control of disputed territories. It added that the violence has contributed to worsening humanitarian conditions for displaced persons across the region.

USCIRF alleged that some armed groups use killings, sexual violence and abductions to intimidate communities and extort ransom payments from victims’ families.

The report claimed that several abducted persons are still being held in remote areas, including forests in Kaduna State, while some victims reportedly suffered sexual assault and long-term trauma.

The commission also noted that some attacks were deliberately timed around Christian religious celebrations such as Easter and Christmas to heighten fear among worshippers and disrupt gatherings. During certain incidents, attackers were said to have used religious slogans while carrying out assaults.

The report highlighted several deadly incidents recorded in Plateau and Benue states between 2025 and early 2026. Among them was a June 2025 attack in Benue State where more than 200 people, including internally displaced persons sheltering in a Catholic mission, were reportedly killed.

Another incident cited in Yelwata community, Benue State, allegedly left over 200 Christians dead, mostly women and children, while thousands fled their homes following the attack.

USCIRF further referenced kidnappings involving religious leaders, including pastors Adura Kayode and Kingsley Ebing of the City of Grace Prophetic Liberation Church in Kogi State, alongside the reported shooting of a Catholic priest in Benue State.

The report also documented attacks affecting Muslim communities. It stated that seven Fulani herders were killed in Kano State in a separate incident, while 10 others were abducted for ransom.

According to the commission, violent attacks persisted into 2026. In February, gunmen reportedly killed 12 persons in Barkin Ladi and Riyom areas of Plateau State, while another assault in Niger State allegedly claimed at least 32 lives.

The report added that armed men attacked Holy Trinity Parish in the Kafanchan Diocese of Kaduna State, killing three worshippers and abducting 11 others, including a priest identified as Father Nathaniel Asuwaye.

USCIRF also raised concerns over the growing use of kidnapping by armed groups targeting schools, mosques, churches, and rural communities across northern Nigeria. It cited a February 2026 incident in Plateau State where an imam and seven worshippers were abducted from a mosque, with kidnappers reportedly demanding a N16 million ransom.

In Zamfara State, the report said gunmen attacked worshippers during early morning prayers at a mosque, while another mass abduction in April 2026 reportedly involved more than 150 victims, mainly women and children.

The commission further claimed that some kidnapping cases remain unresolved due to the secrecy surrounding ransom negotiations and alleged collusion involving certain security personnel.

USCIRF concluded that the sustained violence has continued to deepen insecurity and displacement across Nigeria’s Middle Belt, amid rising concerns over kidnappings, banditry, and attacks in several parts of the country.