By Ademola Adekusibe
21st November 2025
Riley Moore, a member of the United States House of Representatives, has publicly dismissed Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, over his claim that only 177 Christians have been killed in the last five years.
Tuggar made the statement while appearing on Piers Morgan’s show, where he sought to challenge allegations of Christian genocide, clarify figures, and provide context on Nigeria’s complex security situation. During the broadcast, Morgan cited figures from the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), which claim that over 50,000 Christians have been killed in Nigeria since 2009 and approximately 18,000 churches destroyed.
Tuggar rejected these figures, insisting they were inaccurate and arguing that the government does not classify deaths by faith, viewing all victims as Nigerians first. He went on to assert that only 177 Christians had died and 102 churches attacked over the past five years.
At a congressional hearing in Washington DC on Thursday, Moore expressed disbelief at the figures. “I recently saw the foreign minister was in some interview, I think it was Piers Morgan, and it was the same thing when they came here — disputing these numbers,” he said.
Moore added: “I think the foreign minister said in the last five years there’s only 177 Christians who have been killed. I don’t think anybody believes that, and I don’t think it’s necessarily constructive on their part to try to downplay what’s happening here.”
The US lawmaker further suggested that the official number might have been achieved in just the past couple of months alone, highlighting the stark contrast between reported figures and independent data.
Despite the controversy, Moore emphasised that Nigeria has a critical opportunity to strengthen its relationship with the United States. “It would be possible if the country does that in coordination and cooperation with the US government,” he said.
The hearing underscored rising international scrutiny over Nigeria’s handling of religious violence, particularly in northern and Middle Belt regions where attacks on Christians have increasingly been reported alongside broader insecurity and terrorist activity.
