The United States congressional delegation, led by Congressman Riley Moore has concluded its fact-finding mission to Nigeria over alleged genocide and is expected to brief President Donald Trump before the end of the month.

The delegation, made up of five members of Congress, arrived in the country on Sunday and visited Internally Displaced Persons, survivors of terrorist attacks, Christian communities, Christian leaders and traditional rulers, particularly in Benue State.

They also held a meeting with the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).

Featuring on a Fox News programme anchored by Harris Faulkner on Thursday, Moore said the team heard harrowing accounts of killings allegedly carried out by Fulani and Islamic extremists, describing the experience as the most disturbing of his career.

“It was really shocking — the stories we heard, the imagery. I have never witnessed anything like that in my life,” he said. “I met one woman who lost her entire family. Five of her children were murdered right in front of her while she was pregnant. She escaped and delivered her baby in an IDP camp. You can see that her soul has literally left her body. There are countless stories like these.”

He also narrated another case of a woman who lost her husband, two daughters, and her unborn child during an attack, saying the pattern of violence suggested that Christian communities were deliberately targeted.

Moore said the delegation travelled across Benue State in armoured vehicles due to security risks, adding that they met Catholic and Protestant leaders, bishops and community heads to obtain what he called “ground truth”.

“This is a fact finding mission. Benue is one of the most dangerous states in Nigeria. This is where the majority of Christians are being murdered for their faith in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. But I felt we had to go,” he said.

According to him, IDP camps were not spared by attackers, raising questions about claims that the violence was driven by climate pressures or land disputes.

“For those who say this is about climate change or economics, why would you burn down a church? Why would you attack an IDP camp screaming ‘Allahu Akbar’? It is very clear what the answer is,” he said. “They are trying to erase Christians in Benue State and across Nigeria from their ancestral homeland.”

Moore confirmed that President Trump tasked him and House Appropriations Chairman, Tom Cole, to compile a full report on the situation.

“We will report back to the President and make recommendations. He has asked myself and Chairman Tom Cole to give him a report, and we are going to do that by the end of this month,” he added.

Trump had late October designated Nigeria a ‘Country of Particular Concern’ over alleged Christian genocide, a position the Federal Government has countered, insisting that Nigeria’s security crisis has no religious colouration.

Nigeria and Saudi Arabia on Wednesday signed a new security cooperation agreement aimed at strengthening collaboration in military operations, training, intelligence sharing, and joint activities.

The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, signed on behalf of Nigeria, while Dr. Khaled H. Al-Biyari represented Saudi Arabia.

Matawalle described the agreement as “an important step that will further enhance security operations in Nigeria.”

The pact comes at a time when Nigeria is grappling with student abductions, bandit attacks, and threats posed by Boko Haram and ISWAP in the North.

The agreement will run for five years before review, and either country may withdraw after giving a three-month notice.

Security experts, including Dr. Riyauddeen Zubairu Maitama, say the partnership could significantly boost counterterrorism efforts, stating that Saudi Arabia is among the countries making major contributions in that field”.

The Sierra Leone’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairman, ECOWAS Council of Ministers, Mr Timothy Kabba, has called for zero-threat tolerance against unconstitutional change of government among the member states.

Kabba made this known during the opening ceremony of the 95th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers that started from Wednesday, December 10, to Friday, December 12 in Abuja.

This, according to him, is against the backdrop of the recent military incursions, humanitarian crises, and emergency declarations in several member states.

Kabba said, “We must remain united, vigilant, and decisive in upholding a zero-threat stance of ECOWAS against unconstitutional changes of government.

“Our commitment must translate into timely reactions, measured responses, and strengthening preventive mechanisms.

“We will continue to be committed to constructive engagement with Member States that are presently in transition.

“Our objective is not to isolate the state, but to foster a credible, inclusive, and time-bound return to democratic governance.

“We will speak with a unified voice, guided by our protocol on democracy and good governance, to ensure the swift restoration of constitutional order and the preservation of our regional principles without compromise.”

He urged the participants to approach the 95th Ordinary Session with renewed dedication, optimism, and a spirit of cooperation and determination to achieve the desired goals.

He decried the security and governance challenges confronting the sub-region, saying that there should be a collective determination to safeguard peace, protect democratic institutions, and ensure that the aspirations of citizens for stability and development are not derailed.

He revealed that the council plans to, over the course of the meeting, examine memoranda and comprehensive reports, to gain an in-depth understanding of the community’s current state and identify areas for enhancement.

In his goodwill message, the President of ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Touray, urged the ministers to examine the various memoranda that required their collective decision and full consideration.

He said that such included an annual work programme, budget of the community institutions, financial situation of the community, status of implementation of the community levy protocol, report of the Monitoring General of ECOWAS Institution, and the Audit Committee.

Touray said, “We will be presenting for information, memoranda on the status of implementation of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS), including the work of the Task Force on the scheme, and memoranda on the ECOWAS Single Currency.

“The council will also be briefed on the financial situation of the West African Power Group, our flagship regional electricity market platform currently facing challenges, on account of debt owed by national electricity companies.”

He disclosed that ECOWAS had appointed Alhaji Aliko Dangote, its Pioneer Chairperson of the ECOWAS Business Council, in view of his vast experience in business within our sub-region and across Africa, to promote intra-regional trade and investment.

In her welcome remarks, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Amb. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, urged the ministers to come up with decisions that will help shape the recommendations to be submitted to the Authority of Heads of State and Government.

“We must remain steadfast in defending constitutional order, promoting inclusive political dialogue, and supporting credible transitions that reinforce stability.

“Our region’s future depends on deepening intra-regional trade, strengthening value chains, facilitating investments, and creating opportunities for the over 400 million people, especially young people of 25 years and below, who constitute about 65 per cent of the population.

“They no doubt rely on ECOWAS to chart a path toward progress; your deliberations over the course of this 95th Ordinary Session are, therefore, of utmost importance,” Odumegwu-Ojukwu said.

(NAN)