The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom has raised fresh concerns over the growing insecurity in Nigeria, revealing that about 30,000 armed Fulani militants are currently operating across different parts of the country.


In its May 2026 report titled “Nonstate Violators of Religious Freedom in Nigeria: Fulani Militants,” the commission described the armed groups as some of the deadliest non-state actors fueling violence and religious freedom violations in Nigeria.


According to the report, the militants operate in clusters ranging from small bands of about 10 fighters to larger groups with as many as 1,000 members. The commission said the activities of the armed groups have worsened insecurity, especially in the Middle Belt and parts of Southern Nigeria.

The report stated that attacks linked to the militants led to more deaths in the last year than those carried out by insurgent groups and criminal gangs.

“Violence by Fulani militants caused the highest number of deaths among all religious communities in Nigeria over the last year as compared to attacks by organised insurgent groups and criminal gangs,” the report stated.

The commission noted that although many of the attacks targeted Christian communities, Muslims had also suffered killings, kidnappings and raids.

USCIRF explained that the armed groups do not operate under a single command structure. However, some factions reportedly collaborate with criminal gangs and extremist organisations.

“These actors operate in a variety of contexts and with a multiplicity of likely aims and motivations,” the report said.

“While many Fulani militant groups wage independent attacks, others periodically coordinate with a wide range of other actors, from conventional bandit gangs seeking financial enrichment to recognised terrorist organisations that espouse a violent interpretation of Islam.”

The commission said the attackers often invade rural communities at night using motorcycles, assault rifles and machetes. It added that the strategy was designed to create fear and force residents to flee their ancestral lands.

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