In a statement shared on social media, Congressman Moore highlighted the urgent need for structural reform in Nigeria’s security architecture. “Christians in Nigeria continue to face brutal violence and death at the hands of radical Islamic terrorists,” he said. “The government in Abuja must step up and protect their citizens in the Middle Belt. It’s past time to decentralize police authority so state governments can protect their citizens and stop this horrific persecution.”
Moore pointed to recent attacks, including the destruction of St. James the Great Catholic Church in Adu, Taraba State, by Fulani militants, describing such incidents as part of a pattern of constant terrorism targeting Christian communities.
The lawmaker’s remarks come amid ongoing international concern over insecurity in Nigeria, where terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and ISWAP, along with armed militancy in the Northeast and farmer-herder conflicts in the Middle Belt, have resulted in thousands of deaths, displacement of communities, and destruction of livelihoods and places of worship.
Congressman Moore, who has previously led congressional investigations and engaged with Nigerian officials on these issues, argued that empowering state governments with localized policing authority would allow for quicker, more context-specific responses to threats that a centralized federal police force has struggled to contain effectively.
This call aligns with growing domestic momentum in Nigeria, where President Bola Tinubu and state governors have advocated for constitutional amendments to establish state police as a practical tool to combat terrorism, banditry, and other forms of violence.
“Decentralized policing would better equip communities to serve as the first line of defense,” supporters of the reform have noted, echoing sentiments from both Nigerian stakeholders and international observers.
Congressman Moore has been vocal on religious freedom and security challenges in Nigeria, including through legislative efforts and reports submitted to the White House addressing persecution and extremist violence.
Nigeria’s federal government recently inaugurated a committee to develop frameworks for state policing, signaling potential progress on this long-debated reform.