A United States lawmaker, Riley Moore, has raised alarm over what he described as escalating and deadly attacks against Christians in Nigeria, calling on the Nigerian government to urgently halt the violence.
Moore made the remarks on Monday via his verified X (formerly Twitter) account while reacting to the recent attack on Holy Trinity Parish in Kaduna State, where gunmen killed three worshippers and abducted a Catholic priest along with 10 other individuals.
The incident, which occurred last week, saw suspected bandits invade the parish community, shooting three parishioners dead before kidnapping Rev. Fr. Nathaniel Asuwaye and several others.
In his reaction, the US congressman called for prayers for the abducted priest and other victims still in captivity.
“Please join me in praying for the safe return of Rev. Fr. Nathaniel Asuwaye of Holy Trinity Parish in Kaduna who was kidnapped alongside 10 others,” Moore wrote.
He described the Kaduna attack as part of a broader and troubling pattern of violence targeting Christians across Nigeria, noting that the past week had been particularly deadly.
“Three of his parishioners were brutally murdered by radical Islamic jihadists during the attack. The last week has been some of the most horrifically bloody days in recent history for Christians across Nigeria,” he stated.
Moore went further to place responsibility squarely on the Nigerian government, insisting that it must take decisive action to protect all citizens regardless of faith.
“The genocide of Christians must end, and it falls squarely on the Nigerian government’s shoulders to defend its citizens – all of its citizens – and end this violent persecution,” he added, urging continued prayers for Nigerian Christians facing ongoing insecurity.
