May 27, 2026
A report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, USCIRF, has revealed that an estimated 30,000 armed Fulani militants are currently operating across Nigeria, worsening insecurity and religious freedom violations in several parts of the country.
The report, released in May 2026 and titled “Nonstate Violators of Religious Freedom in Nigeria: Fulani Militants,” described the armed groups as some of the deadliest non-state actors responsible for violent attacks across the Middle Belt and Southern Nigeria.
According to the commission, the militants operate in clusters ranging from 10 to 1,000 fighters, carrying out coordinated assaults that have led to thousands of deaths, mass displacement and heightened religious tensions.
USCIRF stated that attacks linked to Fulani militants accounted for the highest number of deaths among religious communities in Nigeria in the past year, surpassing casualties attributed to organised insurgent groups and criminal gangs.
