US congressman Riley Moore on Thursday, August 20, opposed push to remove Nigeria from the United States’ Country of Particular Concern (CPC) list, saying the designation cannot be lifted while violence against Christian communities continues.
Moore made his position known in a post on his official X account while reacting to comments by the US assistant secretary of state for African affairs.
His comments followed a deadly attack in Plateau state in which more than 24 people were reportedly killed, while several others remained missing.
“We absolutely cannot remove the CPC designation from Nigeria while radical Islamic terrorists continue this horrific violence against christians,” Moore wrote.
He also urged the Nigerian government to fulfil its commitments to protect Christian communities.
The US Bureau of African Affairs had earlier condemned the Plateau attack and expressed concern over the latest violence in Nigeria’s Middle Belt.
“The United States is horrified by yet another murderous attack in the Middle Belt of Nigeria, killing dozens of people asleep in their homes in Plateau state.
“This is especially troubling coming on the heels of the recent CPC Working Group meeting.
We extend our deepest condolences to the families of those missing and killed, and we strongly urge the Nigerian government to meet their commitments to protect Christian communities and to hold perpetrators of violence accountable,” the Bureau said.
The bureau urged the federal government to strengthen protection for vulnerable communities and hold perpetrators of violence accountable.
Moore’s comments could increase pressure on the Trump administration ahead of the next review of Nigeria’s CPC status, with attacks continuing to be reported across Plateau, Benue and other parts of the Middle Belt.
The Nigerian government has, however, rejected claims that the violence is primarily driven by religious persecution, maintaining that many conflicts are linked to land disputes, competition over resources and criminality.
Nigeria was first designated a CPC by the US in 2020 under the International Religious Freedom Act but was removed from the list in 2021, although it remained under scrutiny by the US state department.
The Trump administration restored Nigeria to the CPC list in 2025, prompting both countries to establish a joint working process to examine religious-freedom concerns and measures being taken.
The CPC designation is subject to an annual review, with the next review expected in November.
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