US Congressman Calls for Disarmament of “Fulani Militants” After St. Mary’s School Abduction

U.S. Congressman Riley M. Moore, representing Virginia’s Second District, has publicly called on the Nigerian government to disarm what he termed “radical Muslim Fulani militants” who he alleges are responsible for terrorizing parts of the country, particularly the Middle Belt region.

Rep. Moore’s remarks were made on Saturday via his official X account, following the mass abduction that occurred at St. Mary’s Catholic School in the Papiri community, Niger State, on Friday morning.

The incident involved assailants invading the school, shooting sporadically, and whisking away a large number of students and staff.

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has since updated the casualty figures, stating that a total of 303 children and 12 teachers were seized during the attack.

Expressing his personal distress over the incident, Rep. Moore wrote:

“We now know that more than 300 children and 12 teachers have been kidnapped from St Mary’s Catholic School in Nigeria.

As a father, seeing these attacks makes my stomach turn. The Nigerian government must disarm the radical Muslim Fulani militants terrorizing the Middle Belt”.

Rep. Moore’s statement reinforces a growing sentiment within certain sectors of the U.S. Congress regarding the Nigerian government’s handling of security, particularly concerning attacks on Christian communities.

His call to disarm the armed groups highlights the paradox where Nigerian law prohibits the ownership of firearms, yet these militants operate with heavy weaponry like AK-47s.

His work aligns with other Congressmen who are urging the Tinubu administration to prioritize the protection of religious minorities and to leverage available U.S. security and humanitarian aid.

The U.S.  Subcommittee Chairman, Mario Díaz-Balart, recently reaffirmed the White House’s designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), linking it to the need for policies focused on strengthening security and religious freedom in the country.