UMVA has learned that a significant shift in U.S. policy towards Nigeria may be underway, as the country faces escalating violence from various militant groups, including the Fulani, Boko Haram, and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
The U.S. has been actively engaged in military operations against ISWAP and Boko Haram, with a series of joint strikes conducted with the Nigerian Air Force in May, resulting in the deaths of several senior commanders, including ISWAP's second-in-command, Abu-Bilal al-Minuki.
These operations have been part of a broader campaign that began in December 2025, when U.S. forces launched a strike against ISIS targets in northwest Nigeria, killing hundreds of militants and disrupting their operations.
However, despite these efforts, a more deadly threat to Christians in Nigeria has been largely overlooked: the Fulani militant violence in the country's Middle Belt, which has resulted in the deaths of thousands of people, mostly Christians.
According to information obtained by UMVA, a recent report by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has shed light on the Fulani threat, describing them as a primary perpetrator of violence against Christians in Nigeria, with estimates suggesting that up to 30,000 Fulani militants are operating across the country.
The report documents numerous atrocities committed by Fulani militants, including the killing of over 200 people in a single attack in Benue State, and the displacement of over 1.3 million people in the Middle Belt, with many forced to flee their homes and live in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that the USCIRF report has sparked concerns that the U.S. may be on the verge of a policy shift, with some lawmakers and officials calling for more aggressive action against the Fulani, including the imposition of targeted sanctions and military strikes.
The situation in Nigeria remains volatile, with Christians facing extreme persecution and violence at the hands of militant groups, and it remains to be seen whether the U.S. will take more decisive action to address the Fulani threat.
In a development reported by UMVA, the U.S. government has redesignated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern, citing the actions of "Fulani ethnic militias" and acknowledging the severity of the threat posed by these groups.
