United States Congressman Riley Moore has expressed gratitude to President Donald Trump for directing the Pentagon to prioritise the protection of Nigerian Christians from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). In a statement posted on his official X account on Wednesday, Moore commended Trump for facilitating a joint US-Nigerian military operation that eliminated Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, the global second-in-command of ISIS.
Moore's appreciation came after Secretary of War Pete Hegseth detailed during a White House meeting how the mission and gathered intelligence resulted in the deaths of hundreds of ISIS fighters linked to attacks on Christians and threats to US homeland security. Hegseth noted that many actions taken by the Department, empowered by the president, often go unnoticed by the media but deserve significant credit.
Reacting to Hegseth's remarks, Moore stated: "Thank you, President Trump, for defending our persecuted Christian brothers and sisters in Nigeria who have faced unspeakable slaughter and martyrdom at the hands of radical Islamic terrorists. President Trump's steadfast leadership paved the way to these successful strikes on ISIS, including the mission that killed Abu-Bilal al-Muniki, ISIS's number two globally. This strike sent a clear message to the world – those who target innocent Christians will be hunted down and brought to justice. Never test @POTUS's resolve."
Nigeria's Christian persecution involves ISIS affiliates such as ISWAP, Boko Haram, and Fulani militants, who have killed thousands and displaced millions. This has driven increased counterterrorism coordination between the United States and Nigeria.
