A new report released by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has claimed that an estimated 30,000 armed Fulani militants are currently operating across different parts of Nigeria in groups ranging from small bands of 10 fighters to larger formations numbering up to 1,000 members.
The report, published in May 2026 and titled “Nonstate Violators of Religious Freedom in Nigeria: Fulani Militants,” described the armed groups as some of the most dangerous non-state actors fueling insecurity and religious freedom violations in the country.
According to the commission, attacks carried out by militants of Fulani ethnic background have significantly worsened insecurity in Nigeria’s Middle Belt and parts of the South, resulting in thousands of deaths, widespread displacement and rising tensions among religious communities.
The report stated that violence linked to Fulani militants accounted for more deaths among religious communities within the last year than attacks attributed to insurgent organisations or ordinary criminal gangs.
“Violence by Fulani militants caused the highest number of deaths among all religious communities in Nigeria over the last year as compared to attacks by organised insurgent groups and criminal gangs,” the report noted.
USCIRF stated that many of the attacks targeted Christian communities, although Muslim communities had also suffered raids, killings, kidnappings and destruction of property.
The commission explained that while the militant groups do not appear to operate under a unified command structure, some factions reportedly collaborate with criminal syndicates and extremist organisations.
“These actors operate in a variety of contexts and with a multiplicity of likely aims and motivations,” the report stated.
“While many Fulani militant groups wage independent attacks, others periodically coordinate with a wide range of other actors, from conventional bandit gangs seeking financial enrichment to recognised terrorist organisations that espouse a violent interpretation of Islam.”
The report described the operational methods of the militants, stating that many attacks are carried out at night against isolated rural communities.
According to USCIRF, the attackers often move on motorcycles and use sophisticated weapons, including automatic rifles and machetes.
“They often wield machetes and descend on vulnerable communities during the night, eliciting terror as a way to force victims to quickly leave and to achieve greater control of desired land,” the commission said.
The report added that the persistent attacks by Fulani militants and other armed groups have displaced at least 1.3 million people across the Middle Belt region.
Many of the displaced persons are reportedly living in overcrowded camps with poor sanitation, inadequate security and limited access to humanitarian support.
USCIRF highlighted several major attacks recorded in 2025 and early 2026, particularly in Benue and Plateau states.
The commission referenced one attack in Benue State in June 2025 in which at least 200 people, including internally displaced persons taking refuge in a Catholic mission, were reportedly killed.
The report also mentioned the widely reported massacre in Yelwata community in Benue State where more than 200 Christians, mostly women and children, were allegedly killed while over 3,000 residents were displaced.
According to the commission, some attacks appeared deliberately timed to coincide with Christian religious celebrations in order to heighten psychological trauma among victims.
“Militant actors have often carried out operations during Christian holidays such as Christmas or Easter to further maximise the psychological impact,” the report stated.
USCIRF also cited incidents from February 2026 in which suspected Fulani militants allegedly killed at least 32 persons in Niger State.
The report further claimed that attackers invaded Holy Trinity Parish in the Kafanchan Diocese of Kaduna State, killing three worshippers and abducting 11 others, including the parish priest, Father Nathaniel Asuwaye.
The commission also documented cases involving attacks on Muslim communities and religious leaders.
According to the report, armed men in February 2026 abducted an imam alongside seven worshippers from a mosque in Plateau State and later demanded a ransom of N16 million.
The report further stated that a series of attacks carried out during Palm Sunday and Easter celebrations in April 2026 left dozens dead in Plateau, Kaduna and Benue states.
“On Easter Sunday, Fulani militants reportedly killed five worshippers at two churches in Kaduna State while abducting 31 others,” the commission said.
USCIRF acknowledged that debates continue regarding the root causes of the violence.
According to the report, some analysts believe the attacks are largely driven by environmental pressures, land disputes, climate change and economic competition over grazing land and farmland.
Others, however, argue that the violence reflects a broader campaign targeting non-Muslim communities, especially Christians.
“In fact, multiple and overlapping factors, including religion in many cases, likely spur Fulani militants to attack communities or individuals,” the commission stated.
The report criticised both federal and state authorities for what it described as inadequate responses to the worsening insecurity.
According to USCIRF, many victims have repeatedly complained that security agencies often respond slowly to attacks or fail to intervene in time.
“Victims have long reported that security forces are consistently slow to respond to attacks on their communities,” the commission noted.
The report also stated that some Christian advocacy groups accused security agencies of bias and favouritism towards Muslim communities during investigations and security operations.
USCIRF further highlighted efforts by some state governments to address the crisis.
The report noted that governors from 11 states launched an initiative in June 2025 aimed at establishing ranching systems for herders as part of efforts to reduce clashes linked to open grazing and disputes over farmland.
At the federal level, the report linked renewed government action to the decision by US President Donald Trump in October 2025 to designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern over religious freedom violations.
Following that designation, President Bola Tinubu reportedly classified kidnappers and violent armed groups, including Fulani militants, as terrorists in December 2025.
USCIRF also cited security operations conducted in January 2026 in Kogi and Kwara states where security agencies reportedly rescued 309 kidnapped victims, arrested 129 suspected militants and killed 55 others during coordinated operations.
The report additionally referenced growing scrutiny surrounding the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN).
According to USCIRF, some Christian leaders accused the association of failing to stop militant violence and land invasions allegedly linked to armed herders.
However, MACBAN denied any involvement in criminal activity.
“We do not support, condone, harbour, finance, or protect any form of criminality, extremism or violence,” the organisation stated, according to the report.
USCIRF further disclosed that the United States Congress introduced the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026 in February, proposing sanctions against MACBAN over allegations connected to severe religious freedom violations.
Despite ongoing military operations and peace-building initiatives, the commission warned that insecurity remains deeply entrenched across central Nigeria.
“As a result, central Nigeria remains entrenched in an intense, daily, and seemingly perpetual crisis of insecurity,” the report concluded.
The commission added that the violence may persist unless the federal and state governments create stronger conditions that guarantee security, justice and the safe practice of religious freedom for all communities.
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