About 30,000 Armed Fulani Fighters Active in Nigeria – USCIRF

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – An estimated 30,000 armed Fulani militants are currently operating across Nigeria, according to a new report released in May 2026 by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, USCIRF.

The report described the militants as some of the deadliest non-state actors responsible for religious freedom violations in the country.

According to the report titled “Nonstate Violators of Religious Freedom in Nigeria: Fulani Militants,” attacks by armed groups of Fulani ethnic background have worsened insecurity in Nigeria’s Middle Belt and southern regions. The violence has reportedly left thousands dead, displaced many communities and increased religious tensions.

USCIRF said the attacks caused more deaths in the past year than those carried out by insurgent groups and criminal gangs.

The commission stated that many of the attacks targeted Christian communities, although Muslim communities have also suffered killings, kidnappings and raids.

The report explained that the militants do not have a central leadership, but some groups work with bandits and terrorist organisations.

According to USCIRF, the attackers often invade rural communities at night using motorcycles, automatic weapons and machetes to force residents to flee from their lands.

The commission said the violence has displaced at least 1.3 million people across the Middle Belt, with many victims now living in overcrowded camps lacking proper sanitation and security.

The report highlighted several deadly attacks in Benue and Plateau states between 2025 and early 2026.

One attack in Benue State in June 2025 reportedly killed at least 200 people, including displaced persons staying at a Catholic mission.

USCIRF also mentioned the Yelwata massacre in Benue, where more than 200 Christians, mainly women and children, were reportedly killed, while over 3,000 people were displaced.

The commission stated that some attacks were deliberately carried out during Christian celebrations such as Christmas and Easter to create fear and increase psychological trauma.

In February 2026, suspected Fulani militants reportedly killed at least 32 people in Niger State and attacked Holy Trinity Parish in Kaduna State, killing three people and abducting 11 others, including parish priest Father Nathaniel Asuwaye.

The report also documented kidnappings targeting both churches and mosques.

USCIRF said conflicting opinions about the violence have made it difficult to determine the exact motives behind the attacks.

While some observers believe the clashes are driven by environmental and economic issues such as land and grazing disputes, others see the attacks as a targeted campaign against Christians.

The commission, however, stated that multiple factors, including religion, likely contribute to the violence.

The report criticised Nigerian authorities for failing to respond quickly to attacks, noting that many victims complained security forces often arrived late.

It also said some Christian groups accused security agencies of favouring Muslim communities during investigations and security operations.

According to the report, governors from 11 states launched ranching initiatives in June 2025 to reduce conflicts between farmers and herders.

USCIRF linked renewed Federal Government action to the decision by former US President Donald Trump in October 2025 to designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern over religious freedom violations.

The report said President Bola Tinubu later classified kidnappers and violent armed groups, including Fulani militants, as terrorists in December 2025.

USCIRF stated that security forces rescued 309 kidnapped victims in January 2026 during operations in Kogi and Kwara states, while 129 suspected militants were arrested and 55 killed.

The report also mentioned growing scrutiny of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, also known as MACBAN.

Although some Christian leaders accused the group of failing to stop violence and land invasions, the association denied supporting criminal activities.

USCIRF added that the US Congress introduced the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026, which proposed sanctions against MACBAN over allegations linked to religious freedom violations.

Despite recent security efforts and peace initiatives, the commission warned that violence and insecurity remain widespread across central Nigeria.

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