A United States lawmaker, Congressman Riley Moore, has openly criticized Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, over his recent remark that only 177 Christians were killed in Nigeria in the last five years. The minister made the claim during a televised appearance on Piers Morgan’s show, where he sought to counter allegations of widespread Christian persecution in the country.
During the interview, Piers Morgan presented figures from the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), suggesting that more than 50,000 Christians have been killed in Nigeria since 2009 and over 18,000 churches destroyed. Tuggar rejected these numbers, describing them as inaccurate and insisting that the Nigerian government does not classify deaths by religious identity but regards all victims as Nigerians.
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However, the foreign minister’s comment has drawn strong reactions in Washington, where the issue of religious violence in Nigeria continues to generate concern among lawmakers. Speaking at a congressional hearing on Thursday, Congressman Riley Moore expressed surprise at what he described as a “major disparity” between internationally published data and the figures supplied by Nigerian officials.
Moore noted that Nigeria’s delegation currently visiting Washington also contested the statistics widely reported by human rights organizations, a stance he found troubling. He said the conflicting accounts raise questions about the sincerity of Nigeria’s efforts to confront and accurately report the security crisis.
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“I recently watched the foreign minister’s interview with Piers Morgan, and it was the same message their delegation repeated when some of us met with them,” Moore said. “They kept disputing these numbers even though multiple independent groups have documented the situation extensively.”
The lawmaker specifically referenced Tuggar’s assertion that only 177 Christians had been killed in five years, a figure he said was impossible to believe. Moore insisted that the minister’s claim does not align with the volume of reports on attacks attributed to insurgents, bandits, and extremist groups across several Nigerian states.
“I don’t think anybody believes that number,” Moore said. “And I don’t think it helps Nigeria’s case when officials attempt to downplay what is happening. Transparency is critical if we must find meaningful solutions.”
Moore stressed that Congress expects full cooperation and honest reporting as it continues to review evidence of religiously targeted violence in Nigeria. According to him, minimizing casualty figures undermines international trust and weakens efforts to address ongoing conflicts.
The congressman further emphasized that the United States remains committed to advocating for religious freedom and monitoring global violations, including those occurring in Nigeria. He urged Nigerian authorities to engage constructively and acknowledge the severity of the problem rather than challenging widely accepted data.
The hearing ended with renewed calls from US lawmakers for Nigeria to take concrete steps to curb violent attacks, protect vulnerable communities, and provide accurate statistics to help the global community better understand the scope of insecurity in the country.
