Aftermath of herdsmen attacks: Over 600,000 Christians rendered homeless in Benue – US Lawmaker, Riley Moore

The humanitarian crisis in Benue State has again drawn international attention as a visiting U.S. congressional delegation received graphic accounts of atrocities suffered by victims of herdsmen attacks.

Riley Moore, leader of the team on a fact-finding mission to investigate alleged Christian genocide in Nigeria, said the scale of suffering in Benue was far worse than previously reported. Writing on his verified X handle, the Congressman disclosed that more than 600,000 Christians are currently living in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps across the state, many of them still traumatized by the killings they witnessed.

Moore, who had direct interactions with displaced families during his visit, described the testimonies as “harrowing” and “unforgettable.”

While in Benue, he said, dozens of survivors narrated how their communities were overrun by armed herdsmen, leading to mass killings, abductions and destruction that forced entire villages into flight.

“One woman was forced to watch as they killed her husband and five children. She, and her unborn child, barely escaped,” he wrote.

“Another woman’s family was murdered in front of her and her baby was ripped from her womb. One man’s family was hacked to death before his eyes and his arm was permanently mangled.”

He said the survivors now live in overcrowded IDP camps where conditions remain dire, with thousands lacking adequate food, medical care, and shelter.

The U.S. delegation also held meetings with Catholic bishops and the Tiv traditional leadership as part of efforts to understand the depth of the crisis. Moore stressed that the victims deserve the right to return to their ancestral land without fear of renewed violence.

“These Christians should be able to live in their homeland without fear of genocidal Fulani,” he added.

The visit has renewed calls for stronger international intervention and a more decisive response to the prolonged security challenges affecting Benue and surrounding states.