US report details how 30,000 armed Fulani militants fuel Nigeria’s insecurity

A report released by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has detailed how thousands of armed Fulani militants are driving insecurity, killings and religious violence across Nigeria.

The report, published in May 2026 and titled “Nonstate Violators of Religious Freedom in Nigeria: Fulani Militants,” estimated that about 30,000 armed militants of Fulani extraction are currently operating in different parts of the country.

According to the commission, the groups operate in clusters ranging from 10 to 1,000 fighters and have become major actors in violent attacks across Nigeria’s Middle Belt and parts of the South.

USCIRF described the militants as some of the deadliest non-state actors responsible for religious freedom violations in Nigeria, saying their activities had resulted in thousands of deaths and mass displacement of communities.

The report stated that attacks linked to Fulani militants caused more deaths among religious communities in the past year than assaults carried out by insurgent organisations and criminal gangs.

Although many attacks reportedly targeted Christian communities, the commission noted that Muslim populations had also suffered raids, killings and abductions.

USCIRF explained that the armed groups lack a central leadership structure but often collaborate with bandits and extremist organisations.

“These actors operate in a variety of contexts and with a multiplicity of likely aims and motivations,” the report stated.

The commission added that while some groups carried out attacks independently, others coordinated with armed bandits and terrorist groups motivated by violent extremist ideologies.

According to the report, militants frequently attack isolated rural settlements at night, using motorcycles, machetes and sophisticated weapons.

“They often wield machetes and descend on vulnerable communities during the night, eliciting terror as a way to force victims to quickly leave and to achieve greater control of desired land,” USCIRF stated.

The commission said attacks by Fulani militants and other armed groups had displaced at least 1.3 million people across the Middle Belt region, forcing many victims into overcrowded camps with poor sanitation and inadequate security.

The report highlighted several major attacks recorded in 2025 and early 2026, including deadly incidents in Benue and Plateau states.

USCIRF cited a June 2025 attack in Benue State where at least 200 people, including internally displaced persons sheltering in a Catholic mission, were reportedly killed.

The report also referenced the Yelwata massacre in Benue, where more than 200 Christians, mostly women and children, were allegedly killed, while over 3,000 residents were displaced.

According to the commission, some attacks were deliberately timed to coincide with Christian celebrations such as Christmas and Easter to heighten fear and psychological trauma.

The report further alleged that in February 2026, suspected Fulani militants killed at least 32 persons in Niger State and attacked Holy Trinity Parish in the Kafanchan Diocese of Kaduna State, killing three people and abducting 11 others, including parish priest Father Nathaniel Asuwaye.

USCIRF also documented kidnappings involving both Christian and Muslim worshippers.

It cited an incident in Plateau State where armed men reportedly abducted an imam and seven worshippers from a mosque in February 2026 and demanded a ransom of N16 million.

The commission added that attacks carried out during Palm Sunday and Easter celebrations in April 2026 left dozens dead in Plateau, Kaduna and Benue states.

“On Easter Sunday, Fulani militants reportedly killed five worshippers at two churches in Kaduna State while abducting 31 others,” the report stated.

USCIRF acknowledged conflicting views regarding the causes of the violence, noting that while some observers linked the attacks to environmental pressures and economic competition over land, others viewed them as coordinated religious persecution against Christians.

“In fact, multiple and overlapping factors, including religion in many cases, likely spur Fulani militants to attack communities or individuals,” the report added.

The commission criticised federal and state authorities for failing to adequately tackle the violence, stating that victims frequently complained about delayed responses by security agencies during attacks.

USCIRF also noted allegations by some Christian advocacy groups accusing security agencies of favouring Muslim communities during investigations and security operations.

The report referenced a June 2025 initiative by governors from 11 states to establish ranches for herders as part of efforts to reduce clashes between farmers and herders.

At the federal level, the commission linked renewed government actions to the October 2025 decision by US President Donald Trump to designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern over religious freedom violations.

Following the designation, President Bola Tinubu reportedly classified kidnappers and violent armed groups, including Fulani militants, as terrorists in December 2025.

According to USCIRF, security agencies rescued 309 hostages during operations conducted in Kogi and Kwara states in January 2026, arresting 129 suspected militants and killing 55 others.

The commission also highlighted growing scrutiny surrounding the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria over allegations that it failed to stop violent attacks and land invasions linked to armed herders.

However, the association denied supporting criminal activities.

“We do not support, condone, harbour, finance, or protect any form of criminality, extremism or violence,” the organisation said, according to the report.

USCIRF further disclosed that the US Congress introduced the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026 in February, proposing sanctions against the association over alleged involvement in severe religious freedom violations.

Despite recent military operations and peace efforts, the commission warned that insecurity remained widespread across central Nigeria.

“As a result, central Nigeria remains entrenched in an intense, daily, and seemingly perpetual crisis of insecurity,” the report concluded.

The commission added that the violence would likely persist unless federal and state governments addressed broader conditions necessary for lasting peace and religious freedom.