United States Congressman Riley Moore has urged the Federal Government to take decisive action against armed groups operating in the Middle Belt, following the abduction of over 300 pupils and 12 teachers from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Niger State on Friday.

In a statement on his X handle on Saturday, Moore condemned the attack, saying, “As a father, seeing these attacks makes my stomach turn.”

He called on Nigerian authorities to intensify operations against those responsible for the violence, stressing that the government must “disarm the radical Muslim Fulani militants terrorising the Middle Belt.”

Moore further claimed that attacks targeting Christians in Nigeria are escalating, describing the situation as increasingly dire.

“The persecution of Christians in Nigeria is escalating out of control. I believe it is now a genocide,” he stated.

He appealed for stronger collaboration between Nigeria and the United States to combat insecurity, adding, “It is up to the Nigerian government to work with the United States to stop the killings and kidnappings of our brothers and sisters in Christ.”

According to him, if the attacks persist, the US administration may be forced to act.

“This human tragedy has to end, or else @POTUS has made it clear that he will take action to stop this tragedy,” he warned.

The congressman’s remarks come amid a surge of kidnappings and violent assaults across northern Nigeria. On Monday, gunmen invaded Government Girls’ Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State, abducting at least 24 students.

On Wednesday in Washington, DC, Moore met with a Nigerian delegation led by National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, where discussions centered on counterterrorism strategies and protecting vulnerable communities. He described the engagement as frank, honest, and productive.

The Nigerian delegation included Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Bianca Ojukwu; Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun; Attorney-General of the Federation Lateef Fagbemi (SAN); Chief of Defence Staff General Olufemi Olatunbosun Oluyede; and Chief of Defence Intelligence Lt. Gen. Emmanuel Undiendeye, among others.

The meeting followed a recent statement by US President Donald Trump, who warned that Christianity in Nigeria faces “an existential threat,” adding that if the Nigerian government fails to contain the killings, the US response would be “fast, vicious, and sweet.”

Meanwhile, Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris said on Channels TV’s Politics Today on Friday that the Nigerian delegation in the US is working to counter what he described as misleading narratives about the country’s security situation, especially claims of religious persecution.