US report links 30,000 Fulani militants to Nigeria’s insecurity

A new report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) estimates that about 30,000 armed Fulani militants are operating across Nigeria, contributing significantly to the country’s worsening insecurity and religious violence.

In its May 2026 publication titled “Nonstate Violators of Religious Freedom in Nigeria: Fulani Militants,” the commission described the groups as among the deadliest non-state actors responsible for religious freedom violations in the country.

The report noted that these militants, operating in groups ranging from 10 to 1,000 members, have intensified attacks across Nigeria’s Middle Belt and parts of the South, leading to thousands of deaths, mass displacement, and heightened tensions among religious communities.

According to USCIRF, violence attributed to Fulani militants accounted for the highest number of deaths among religious groups in the past year, surpassing casualties linked to insurgent organisations and criminal gangs.

While many attacks were said to target Christian communities, the report added that Muslim populations have also suffered killings, raids, and kidnappings.

Despite lacking a central command structure, the commission said some of the militant groups collaborate with bandits and extremist organisations, pursuing a mix of motives ranging from financial gain to ideological objectives.

“These actors operate in diverse contexts with multiple motivations,” the report stated, noting that some groups coordinate with criminal gangs and terrorist organisations that promote violent interpretations of Islam.

USCIRF detailed the methods used in many attacks, including nighttime raids on rural communities with motorcycles, automatic weapons, and machetes. The report said such assaults are often aimed at instilling fear and forcing residents off their land.

The violence has displaced at least 1.3 million people in the Middle Belt, many of whom now live in overcrowded camps with limited access to sanitation and security.

The report highlighted several major attacks between 2025 and early 2026, including mass killings in Benue State and Plateau State. It cited a June 2025 incident in Benue where at least 200 people, including displaced persons in a Catholic mission, were killed.

Another attack in Yelwata, Benue State, reportedly left over 200 people dead—mostly women and children—and displaced more than 3,000 others.

USCIRF also said some attacks were deliberately timed to coincide with Christian religious holidays such as Christmas and Easter to amplify psychological impact.

In February 2026, suspected militants reportedly killed at least 32 people in Niger State and attacked a church in the Kafanchan Diocese of Kaduna State, killing three people and abducting 11 others, including a priest.

The report further documented kidnappings affecting both Christian and Muslim communities, including the abduction of an imam and seven worshippers from a mosque in Plateau State, where a ransom of N16 million was demanded.

Palm Sunday and Easter attacks in April 2026 reportedly left dozens dead across Plateau, Kaduna, and Benue states, with additional abductions recorded.

USCIRF noted that conflicting narratives around the violence have complicated understanding of its root causes. While some analysts point to environmental and economic pressures such as land disputes, others argue that the attacks amount to targeted religious persecution.

The commission concluded that the violence is driven by a combination of overlapping factors, including religion, resource competition, and criminal activity.

It criticised both federal and state authorities for what it described as inadequate responses, noting persistent complaints from victims about delayed security interventions.

The report also referenced efforts by governors from 11 states to establish ranching systems in June 2025 to reduce clashes between herders and farmers.

At the federal level, it linked renewed attention to the crisis to actions by President Bola Tinubu, who in December 2025 classified kidnappers and violent armed groups, including Fulani militants, as terrorists.

USCIRF said security operations in January 2026 led to the rescue of 309 hostages in Kogi and Kwara states, along with the arrest of 129 suspected militants and the killing of 55 others.

The report also mentioned increased scrutiny of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), which has faced allegations of failing to curb violence. The association, however, denied any involvement in criminal activities.

US lawmakers have also responded, with the introduction of the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026, which proposes sanctions against MACBAN over alleged links to serious violations.

Despite ongoing security efforts and peace initiatives, USCIRF warned that violence remains widespread, describing central Nigeria as caught in a persistent and deepening security crisis.

The commission concluded that lasting peace would depend on stronger government action and the creation of conditions that support the safe practice of religious freedom across the country.