Rep. Riley Moore of W.Va. promises U.S. will stand with Nigerian Christians kidnapped on Easter
April 17, 2026
The high-stakes drama for 37 Nigerian Christians snatched from their church on Easter dragged into a 12th day as worried relatives prayed for their release and a West Virginia member of Congress criticized the Nigerian government and promised the Trump administration will back the hostages.
In the wake of a series of deadly attacks that marred Easter celebrations in Nigeria, Representative Riley Moore of West Virginia has pledged that the United States will not abandon the Christian communities targeted by kidnappers and violent militants. His promise for American solidarity comes as reports from Nigeria's Middle Belt confirmed dozens were killed and many more abducted during Holy Week, turning a period of religious observance into one of fear and mourning. The violence, which included attacks on churches and villages in states such as Benue and Kaduna, has been attributed to suspected Fulani militants and other armed groups.
The Easter attacks are the latest flashpoint in what has become a persistent crisis of targeted violence against Christians in Africa's most populous nation. Armed assailants struck multiple communities, with reports indicating that over 50 people were killed in separate incidents, some during Easter worship services. While the Nigerian military has claimed some successful rescue operations, local leaders, including the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), have disputed these accounts, stating that many of the abducted remain missing. This pattern of attacking during major Christian holidays has become a recurring strategy for militants, according to human rights observers.
Representative Moore, a Republican from West Virginia, has been a vocal advocate for religious freedom in Nigeria long before this recent tragedy. He has been active in congressional efforts to address the crisis, including co-sponsoring the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026, which would require the U.S. Secretary of State to report on efforts to curb the atrocities. Moore has previously met with Nigerian officials, such as the governor of Plateau State, to discuss security cooperation and has led congressional initiatives condemning the violence, which he and other lawmakers have described as bordering on genocide.
The ongoing violence has prompted renewed calls for a more robust international response. Lawmakers in Washington have proposed various measures, from imposing sanctions and visa restrictions on individuals complicit in the attacks to making U.S. bilateral agreements contingent on the Nigerian government's commitment to protecting its citizens. Organizations like the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom have held hearings to investigate the killings, while U.S. officials have called the scale of persecution "intolerable." For many observers, the core issue is the Nigerian government's perceived failure to stop the violence or bring perpetrators to justice, despite receiving substantial security assistance from the United States.
Moving forward, the focus for U.S. lawmakers like Moore will be on translating promises of support into concrete actions. This includes pushing for the passage of pending legislation, applying sustained diplomatic pressure on both the American and Nigerian administrations, and ensuring the plight of the kidnapped and the broader persecuted communities remains a foreign policy priority. The immediate goal remains securing the safe return of those taken during the Easter attacks, while the long-term challenge involves ending the cycle of violence that continues to devastate Christian communities across Nigeria.
Source: washingtontimes