A new report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has alleged that an estimated 30,000 armed Fulani militants are operating across Nigeria, fuelling deadly attacks, mass displacement and worsening insecurity across several regions of the country.

The report, released in May 2026 and titled “Nonstate Violators of Religious Freedom in Nigeria: Fulani Militants,” described the armed groups as some of the deadliest non-state actors responsible for religious freedom violations in Nigeria.

According to the commission, the militants operate in clusters ranging from 10 to 1,000 fighters and have intensified attacks across the Middle Belt and southern parts of the country, leaving thousands dead and forcing communities from their homes.

USCIRF stated that violence linked to Fulani militants caused more deaths among religious communities over the past year than attacks by organised insurgent groups or criminal gangs.

Communities Under Attack

The report said many of the attacks targeted Christian communities, although Muslim populations had also suffered killings, raids and kidnappings. USCIRF noted that while the groups lack a central command structure, some factions cooperate with criminal gangs and extremist organisations.

The commission said attackers frequently storm isolated rural settlements at night, often arriving on motorcycles and armed with automatic weapons and machetes.

“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,” the report stated.

USCIRF estimated that attacks by Fulani militants and other armed groups have displaced at least 1.3 million people across Nigeria’s Middle Belt, with many now living in overcrowded camps lacking proper sanitation and security.

Benue, Plateau Among Hardest Hit

The report documented several mass casualty incidents recorded in 2025 and early 2026, including deadly attacks in Benue and Plateau states.

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

USCIRF also cited the Yelwata massacre in Benue, where more than 200 Christians — mostly women and children — were reportedly killed and over 3,000 displaced.

The commission further alleged that some attacks were deliberately timed to coincide with Christian religious celebrations such as Easter and Christmas to maximise psychological impact.

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

Conflicting Narratives Around Violence

USCIRF said debates continue over the root causes of the violence, with some analysts attributing the conflict to environmental pressures, land disputes and economic hardship, while others describe it as targeted religious persecution against Christians.

The report concluded that multiple overlapping factors — including religion in many cases — are likely driving the attacks.

The commission criticised Nigerian authorities for what it described as slow and inadequate responses to attacks, noting longstanding complaints from affected communities over delayed security intervention.

Government Response and International Pressure

USCIRF linked renewed federal action to the October 2025 decision by then-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.

The report said Nigerian security agencies rescued 309 hostages during operations in Kogi and Kwara states in January 2026, arresting 129 suspected militants and killing 55 others.

USCIRF also highlighted scrutiny surrounding the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), which has faced allegations from Christian groups that it failed to prevent militant violence and land invasions. The association denied any involvement in criminal activity.

The commission noted that the US Congress introduced the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026, proposing sanctions against MACBAN over allegations linked to severe religious freedom violations.

Despite ongoing security operations and peace initiatives, USCIRF warned that central Nigeria remains trapped in what it described as a “daily and seemingly perpetual crisis of insecurity.”