A new report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has estimated that about 30,000 armed Fulani militants are currently active across different parts of Nigeria, operating in groups ranging from small cells to large formations of up to 1,000 members.
The report, released in May 2026 and titled *“Nonstate Violators of Religious Freedom in Nigeria: Fulani Militants,”* described the groups as some of the most dangerous non-state actors responsible for violent attacks and religious freedom abuses in the country.
According to the commission, attacks linked to armed Fulani groups have worsened insecurity across Nigeria’s Middle Belt and parts of the South, resulting in thousands of deaths, mass displacement, and rising tensions among religious communities.
USCIRF stated that the militants were responsible for more deaths connected to religious violence within the past year than organised insurgent groups and criminal gangs.
The report noted that many of the attacks targeted Christian communities, although Muslims have also reportedly suffered killings, raids, kidnappings and other forms of violence.
While the groups reportedly operate without a unified leadership structure, the commission said some factions collaborate with criminal bandits and extremist organisations.
“These actors operate in different environments and with varying motives,” the report stated, adding that some groups work independently while others occasionally coordinate with armed gangs and terrorist organisations driven by extremist ideologies.
The commission further explained that the militants often attack remote communities at night using motorcycles, automatic weapons and machetes, forcing residents to flee from their homes and communities.
USCIRF said the violence had displaced no fewer than 1.3 million people in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, with many victims currently living in overcrowded camps lacking proper sanitation and security.
The report highlighted several deadly incidents recorded in 2025 and early 2026, including attacks in Benue, Plateau, Kaduna and Niger states.
Among the incidents referenced was a June 2025 attack in Benue State that reportedly claimed at least 200 lives, including internally displaced persons taking shelter at a Catholic mission.
The commission also cited the Yelwata massacre in Benue, where more than 200 Christians, mostly women and children, were reportedly killed and over 3,000 persons displaced.
According to USCIRF, some attacks were deliberately carried out during Christian religious celebrations such as Christmas and Easter to intensify fear and psychological trauma among affected communities.
The report added that suspected Fulani militants allegedly killed at least 32 persons in Niger State in February 2026 and also attacked Holy Trinity Parish in the Kafanchan Diocese of Kaduna State, killing three worshippers and abducting 11 others, including a Catholic priest, Father Nathaniel Asuwaye.
USCIRF also documented attacks on Muslim worshippers, including the reported abduction of an imam and seven other worshippers from a mosque in Plateau State in February 2026.
The commission noted that differing interpretations of the violence have complicated efforts to determine the exact motives behind the attacks, with some analysts linking the crisis to environmental and economic pressures while others described it as targeted religious persecution.
The report criticised both federal and state authorities over what it described as inadequate responses to the violence, alleging that security agencies are often slow to respond to attacks.
It also referenced claims by some Christian groups accusing security agencies of bias during investigations and security operations, although the report did not provide conclusive evidence supporting the allegations.
According to USCIRF, governors from 11 states launched a ranching initiative in June 2025 aimed at reducing clashes between herders and farming communities.
The report further linked renewed federal security actions to the October 2025 decision by former US President Donald Trump to designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern over violations of religious freedom.
Following the designation, President Bola Tinubu reportedly classified kidnappers and violent armed groups, including Fulani militants, as terrorists in December 2025.
USCIRF stated that Nigerian security agencies rescued 309 kidnapped victims during operations in Kogi and Kwara states in January 2026, while 129 suspected militants were arrested and 55 others killed.
The commission also mentioned growing scrutiny surrounding the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), which has faced accusations from some Christian leaders of failing to prevent violent attacks and land invasions.
However, the association denied any involvement in criminal activities, insisting it neither supports nor protects violent groups.
The report added that the United States Congress introduced the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026 in February, proposing sanctions against MACBAN over alleged involvement in serious religious freedom violations.
Despite recent security operations and peace efforts, USCIRF warned that insecurity remains widespread across central Nigeria and may persist unless governments at various levels address the deeper conditions fuelling the violence.