A United States lawmaker, Riley Moore, has cautioned that promoting separatist movements in Nigeria could deepen insecurity and further endanger Christians, not only within the country but across Africa.
Moore made the remarks in a statement shared on his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Saturday, following a fact-finding visit to Nigeria aimed at understanding claims of Christian persecution.
According to him, the visit involved extensive engagements with Nigerian government officials, church leaders, humanitarian organisations, and internally displaced persons in different parts of the country, particularly in the North and Middle Belt, where insecurity has been most severe.
“I travelled to Nigeria and held several high-level discussions with government officials, church leaders, aid organisations, and displaced persons to better understand the scale of violence and persecution facing Christians,” Moore said.
He explained that during his interactions, there was no serious push for the breakup of Nigeria, stressing that such narratives are harmful.
“In all my discussions, the idea of dividing Nigeria did not come up in any meaningful way. Any attempt to encourage separatist agendas would only hurt Christians, especially those living in the North and Middle Belt,” he noted.
Moore warned that a weakened or destabilised Nigeria would create more room for terrorist groups to operate freely, worsening the security situation.
“A destabilised Nigeria would empower terrorists and make Christians, and indeed all citizens, far less safe — not just in Nigeria, but across the region,” he said.
The US lawmaker also pointed to recent security cooperation between the United States and Nigeria as a positive development, describing it as a critical step toward addressing violence and strengthening diplomatic ties.
“The United States and Nigeria have recently entered into a security cooperation agreement, which is an important move in confronting insecurity and deepening our bilateral relationship,” Moore stated.
He concluded by reaffirming his commitment to advocating for Nigerians affected by terrorism and violence.
“I remain committed to working to protect the lives of our brothers and sisters in Christ — and, more broadly, all Nigerians — who are suffering because of terrorist instability. God bless you all,” he added.
Moore’s visit also included a meeting with Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, where discussions focused on improving collaboration between Nigeria and the United States to address insecurity, particularly in the Middle Belt. He described the engagement as constructive and forward-looking, centred on strengthening cooperation between both countries.