Pastoralists Reject US Report Linking Violence to Fulani

A Nigerian pastoralist association has strongly rejected a recent U.S. government report that links armed violence in the country to Fulani militants, arguing that criminal elements do not represent the broader ethnic group. The response follows a report released on May 8, 2026, by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, which estimated that approximately 30,000 armed Fulani militants are operating across Nigeria.

The USCIRF report described these militants as some of the deadliest non-state actors driving religious freedom violations in the country. It stated that attacks by these groups have caused the highest number of deaths among all religious communities in Nigeria over the past year, surpassing violence by organized insurgent groups and criminal gangs. The commission detailed attacks on both Christian and Muslim communities, particularly in the Middle Belt region, involving killings, kidnappings, and the burning of homes and churches. It estimated the violence has displaced at least 1.3 million people in the region.

In a statement issued Friday, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria said the estimated militants do not represent...