Why burn churches, attack IDPs if climate change caused terrorism – US Congressman

By : Segun Adewole

Date: 12 December 2025 8:34am WAT

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United States Congressman, Rep Riley Moore, has rubbished claims that climate change is to be blamed for the terrorism going on in Nigeria, often labelled as farmers-herders clash.

Dismissing the claims, Moore said it was not tenable, especially when terrorists go about burning down churches and attacking Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps while screaming “Allahu Akbar”.

Moore was speaking during an interview with Fox News, shortly after he and a U.S delegation visited Benue State on a fact-finding mission concerning the persecution of Christians.

He noted that the Christians live in fear in the IDP camps because “the Fulani, these Islamic radicals, are attacking the IDP camps. They are attacking them in these IDP camps. And for those who say this is about climate change and land and things like that… economically driven… why would you burn down a church? Why would you attack an IDP, screaming Allahu Akbar? I think it’s very clear what the answer is there. They are trying to erase the Christians in Benue State and around Nigeria from their ancestral homeland.”

He further stated, “This mission was part of our report. This is a fact-finding mission. Five members of Congress in total went there. We went to Benue State, which is one of the most dangerous states in the country of Nigeria. This is where all the Christians, majority of them are being murdered for their faith in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

“I felt we had to go there, so we went in armoured vehicles and security and visited in the company of Christian leaders and other protestants.”

The Congressman revealed in a social media post that he and the delegation met with traditional and religious leaders, including Christians who are all suffering in IDP camps. “They are forced to live in camps that are regularly attacked by Fulani Islamic radicals,” he said.

“We heard heartbreaking stories from survivors of this horrific genocidal campaign committed by the Fulani, including a woman who was forced to watch as five of her children were killed. I’ve never seen anything like it. It will stay with me the rest of my life.”

He said he’s currently working on a report that will outline a path forward to work with the Nigerian government in a coordinated and cooperative manner to end the slaughter of innocent Christians in the Middle Belt and stop the ongoing terrorist threat in the Northeast.

“We will brief the President soon. More to come,” he said.

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