A United States congressman, Riley Moore, has alleged that Christians in Nigeria are facing widespread persecution, recounting what he described as first-hand accounts of killings, church burnings and forced displacement during a congressional visit to the country.

Moore made the remarks during an interview with American Catholic theologian, Bishop Robert Barron, in which he criticised the administration of former US President Joe Biden for what he described as its failure to adequately respond to religious violence in Nigeria.

The lawmaker also accused the Biden administration of removing Nigeria from the United States Department of State’s list of Countries of Particular Concern over religious freedom violations.

Moore faulted explanations that linked violence in parts of Nigeria primarily to climate change and farmer-herder conflicts.

According to him, such explanations failed to account for the scale of destruction allegedly targeted at Christian communities.

That does not explain burning down over 20,000 churches. That doesn’t explain killing men, women and children,” Moore said.

The congressman claimed the previous US administration had “absurdly” downplayed what he described as the systematic targeting of Christians.

Moore said he visited internally displaced persons camps in Benue State where he met survivors who recounted traumatic experiences.