The Muslim Public Affairs Centre has sharply criticised a recent visit to Nigeria by a United States congressional delegation, accusing one of its members of engaging in sectarian-tilted diplomacy that sidelines the country’s Muslim leadership and distorts the nation’s complex security realities.
In a statement issued on Tuesday in Lagos, MPAC said it was “deeply troubled” by the conduct of the group, particularly US Congressman Riley Moore, who publicly celebrated meetings with selected Christian and traditional leaders while ignoring key Muslim institutions and communities.
Moore, a vocal proponent of allegations of a “Christian genocide” in Nigeria, posted on his X account that he had travelled “in the name of the Lord and on behalf of the American people” and highlighted visits to Benue State.
He stated that it was “an honour and deeply moving” to meet Bishop Wilfred Anagbe, Bishop Isaac Dugu and His Royal Highness James Ioruza, the Tiv traditional ruler, adding that discussions centred on what he described as “the ongoing genocidal campaign by the Fulani in Benue State.”
MPAC said that in a country where religion remains a defining and delicate factor of public life, Moore’s engagements were highly selective and appeared deliberately crafted to privilege one narrative. The centre noted that the lawmaker made time for Christian leaders and the Pope’s representative in Benue, yet excluded all recognised leadership within the Muslim community.
Group Says Exclusion of NSCIA, Muslim Victims Undermines Neutrality of U.S. Engagement
The organisation stressed that the omission of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, the nation’s umbrella Muslim body, was glaring and intentional. It argued that the delegation’s decision to avoid Muslim communities affected by violence, including their leaders and victims, raised serious concerns about bias.
MPAC questioned the credibility of any fact-finding mission that “steps into a multi-faith nation and intentionally cuts off communication with one of its largest faith communities,” wondering what motive could justify engaging exclusively with Christian leadership while refusing to meet Muslim stakeholders.
“These actions do not suggest impartial diplomacy. They suggest partisanship. They suggest an agenda,” the statement said, warning that certain “extreme voices of Christian propagandists” and long-standing anti-Muslim lobbies in the United States may be shaping official American engagement with Nigeria.
The centre cautioned that a “dangerous pattern” of selective listening, engagement and outrage was emerging, one that it said could inflame tensions and embolden religious supremacists. Such an approach, MPAC added, threatens the fragile coexistence between Nigeria’s diverse faith communities.
The organisation posed pointed questions to U.S. officials, demanding clarity on the exclusion of the NSCIA, the neglect of Muslim victims of violence and the possible influence of U.S. evangelical and Zionist groups on policy shaping.
“Nigeria must not become a playground for imported prejudice or religiously skewed foreign policy,” the statement said, insisting that Nigerian Muslims deserve respect and that all international engagements must reflect balance rather than predetermined narratives.
MPAC reaffirmed its commitment to speaking against injustice and defending peace and coexistence. The statement was signed by Disu Kamor, the group’s Executive Chairman.
