A United States lawmaker, Riley Moore, has condemned the abduction of 25 schoolgirls from Government Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State, Nigeria, calling for prayers for the victims and urging the Nigerian government to act decisively to end rampant violence.
However, Moore’s description of the attack as occurring in a “Christian enclave” sparked strong pushback from a former aide to the late President Muhammadu Buhari, Bashir Ahmad, who corrected that the attack happened in a Muslim community and the victims were Muslims.
Ahmad criticized Moore’s claim, saying it reflected a lack of understanding of Nigeria’s complex insecurity challenges or a deliberate push of unholy narratives that risk worsening the country’s fragile unity.
The exchange comes amid renewed debates between Nigerian and US officials over claims of “Christian genocide” in parts of the country, a narrative Nigerian officials have consistently rejected.
The Federal Government has pledged to ensure the safe return of the abducted students, expressing deep concern and assuring that it “shares in the pain of the victims” while working to bring the girls home safely.
