WASHINGTON, US — An estimated 30,000 armed Fulani militants are operating across Nigeria, emerging as some of the deadliest non-state actors driving severe violations of religious freedom, a major US government advisory body has warned.
In a comprehensive report released in May 2026 by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), the independent watchdog detailed how these fighters operate in highly fluid cells ranging from 10 to 1,000 members.
Titled “Nonstate Violators of Religious Freedom in Nigeria: Fulani Militants,” the briefing states that the armed actors have dramatically escalated insecurity across the country’s Middle Belt and southern regions, leaving thousands dead, displacing entire communities, and deepening dangerous sectarian lines.
Terror in the Night
According to the findings, violence tied to Fulani militants caused the highest number of casualties among all religious communities in Nigeria over the past year, outpacing casualties from organised jihadist insurgencies and conventional urban criminal gangs.
The commission noted that while the groups lack a single, centralised command structure, their operations have become increasingly sophisticated. Many cells periodically coordinate with broader networks, ranging from local bandit gangs seeking financial enrichment to recognised international terrorist organisations espousing a violent interpretation of Islam.
USCIRF detailed a chillingly consistent tactical pattern used by the groups:
- Modus Operandi: Armed men descend upon isolated rural communities at night using motorcycles, wielding automatic weapons and machetes.
- Psychological Warfare: Attackers deliberately time raids to coincide with major Christian religious holidays, such as Christmas and Easter, to maximise psychological trauma.
- Land Control: The report notes that tactical terror is systematically deployed to force vulnerable victims to flee, allowing the attackers to achieve greater control of desired agricultural land.
A Trail of Massacres
The report documents a devastating human toll throughout 2025 and early 2026. Among the worst incidents cited was a 2025 massacre in Yelwata, Benue State, where more than 200 Christians—predominantly sleeping women and children—were killed, forcing 3,000 people to flee. Another raid in Benue in June 2025 claimed at least 200 lives, including internally displaced persons sheltering at a Catholic mission.
The violence has continued unabated into this year. In February 2026, suspected militants killed 32 people in Niger State and stormed the Holy Trinity Parish in Kaduna State, killing three and abducting 11 others, including the parish priest, Father Nathaniel Asuwaye.
The report emphasises that while the primary targets are Christian communities, Muslim populations have also suffered heavily. In February 2026, gunmen raided a mosque in Plateau State, abducting an imam and seven worshippers, later demanding a ₦16m (£8,000) ransom. More recently, Easter Sunday attacks in April 2026 left five church worshippers dead and 31 others abducted in Kaduna.
The persistent bloodshed has triggered a massive humanitarian crisis, displacing at least 1.3 million people across the Middle Belt into overcrowded, unhygienic, and poorly secured camps.
Washington Pressures Abuja
The crisis has caused significant diplomatic friction between Washington and Abuja. USCIRF attributed recent domestic counter-terrorism efforts directly to a decision by US President Donald Trump in October 2025 to designate Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” regarding religious freedom.
Following intense American pressure, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu formally classified kidnappers and violent armed groups, including Fulani militants, as “terrorists” in December 2025. This reclassification led to a surge in military operations; in January 2026, security forces rescued 309 hostages in Kogi and Kwara states, killing 55 suspected militants and arresting 129 others.
The political fallout has also hit influential herder organizations. The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has faced intense scrutiny and accusations from Christian advocates of complicity in land seizures.
MACBAN has vehemently denied any involvement, issuing a statement insisting: “We do not support, condone, harbour, finance, or protect any form of criminality, extremism or violence.”
However, the US Congress is moving toward tougher unilateral measures. In February 2026, lawmakers introduced the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act, which proposes targeted sanctions against MACBAN over its alleged ties to severe human rights violations.
Complex Motivations, Slow Responses
The report acknowledges that the underlying drivers of the conflict are complex and deeply contested. While some international observers view the violence as an eco-economic clash over grazing routes exacerbated by climate change, others argue it is a concerted campaign of genocide against non-Muslims. USCIRF concluded that “multiple and overlapping factors, including religion in many cases, likely spur Fulani militants to attack.”
The commission saved its sharpest criticism for Nigerian authorities, accusing federal and state security forces of consistently failing to protect citizens. “Victims have long reported that security forces are consistently slow to respond to attacks on their communities,” the report stated, adding that some Christian advocates have accused security agencies of displaying favoritism during post-attack investigations.
Despite local peace initiatives—including a June 2025 agreement by 11 state governors to establish dedicated ranching lands—the US watchdog warned that central Nigeria remains entrenched in an intense, daily crisis of insecurity. The commission concluded that the bloodshed will likely continue until the Nigerian state creates the fundamental security conditions required for the safe practice of religious freedom.
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