US Congressman Tells Nigerian Government To Disarm Terrorists In Middle Belt

United States lawmaker Riley Moore has condemned the abduction of over 300 children and 12 teachers from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Niger State, calling for the Nigerian government to “disarm the radical Muslim Fulani militants terrorising the Middle Belt.”

“As a father, seeing these attacks makes my stomach turn,” Moore wrote in a post on his X (formerly Twitter) handle on Saturday.

Moore’s remarks came in response to the mass kidnapping at St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area, Niger State.

According to the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), 303 pupils and 12 teachers were abducted in the early hours of Friday, following a verification and census exercise.

This incident followed a string of similar attacks in the region as just days earlier, 25 schoolgirls were kidnapped in Kebbi State, and other bandit raids have increased across Nigeria, raising concerns about the security of minority communities.

LEADERSHIP recalls that Moore recently met with a Nigerian delegation led by National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, in Washington DC.

Ribadu described their discussions as “frank, honest, and productive,” urging stronger cooperation on counterterrorism and protection for Christians.