US report links Fulani militants to rising violence in Nigeria
An estimated 30,000 armed Fulani militants are operating across Nigeria, according to a report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom. The report highlights that these militants have become some of the deadliest non-state actors driving religious freedom violations in the country. Attacks have intensified insecurity, caused thousands of deaths, and displaced many communities. The commission criticised authorities for inadequate responses and noted ongoing scrutiny of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria.
What we know
- The May 2026 report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom estimates 30,000 armed Fulani militants are active in Nigeria.
- Attacks by Fulani militants in 2025 and early 2026 resulted in mass killings in Benue and Plateau states, including over 200 deaths in Benue in June 2025 and a massacre in Yelwata, Benue State, in 2025.
- In February 2026, suspected Fulani militants reportedly killed at least 32 people in Niger State and attacked Holy Trinity Parish in Kaduna State, killing three and abducting 11, including Father Nathaniel Asuwaye.
- Palm Sunday and Easter attacks in April 2026 left dozens dead in Plateau, Kaduna, and Benue states; on Easter Sunday, five worshippers were killed and 31 abducted in Kaduna State.
- President Bola Tinubu classified kidnappers and violent armed groups, including Fulani militants, as “terrorists” in December 2025, following Nigeria’s designation as a Country of Particular Concern in October 2025 by US President Donald Trump.
