The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has revealed that an estimated 30,000 armed Fulani militants are currently operating across Nigeria, significantly contributing to the country’s insecurity and religious freedom violations.
In its May 2026 report titled “Nonstate Violators of Religious Freedom in Nigeria: Fulani Militants,” USCIRF stated that these militants operate in clusters ranging from 10 to 1,000 fighters.
They carry out coordinated attacks, particularly in the Middle Belt and southern regions, resulting in thousands of deaths, mass displacement, and heightened religious tensions.
The report noted that violence linked to these militants caused the highest number of deaths among religious communities in Nigeria over the past year, surpassing attacks by organised insurgent groups and criminal gangs in some areas.
Attacks often involve burning homes and churches, kidnappings, and land seizures, and are sometimes timed with Christian holidays. Factors driving the violence include land disputes, climate change pressures, poverty, and, in some cases, religious ideology.
The commission criticised the Nigerian government’s slow response to the crisis and called for urgent reforms to address the threat posed by these non-state actors.
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