The Muslim Public Affairs Centre (MPAC) has criticised a recent visit by a United States congressional delegation to Nigeria, accusing members of conducting what it described as “sectarian” and “biased” consultations.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the organisation focused its concerns on U.S. Congressman Riley Moore, who has previously amplified claims of “Christian genocide” in Nigeria. According to MPAC, Moore wrote on X that he visited “in the name of the Lord and on behalf of the American people,” highlighting meetings with Catholic bishops Wilfred Anagbe and Isaac Dugu, as well as Tiv traditional ruler James Ioruza, during a stop in Benue State.
MPAC said the congressman’s exclusive engagement with Christian and traditional leaders—without any outreach to Muslim leaders—sent a worrying signal in a country where religious identity strongly shapes public life. The group noted that the delegation did not meet with the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), the foremost Muslim body in the country, nor with Muslim communities affected by violence.
“This was not a scheduling oversight. It was a message,” MPAC said, arguing that such selective engagement “suggests partisanship” and appears to echo narratives advanced by “extreme Christian propagandists” and other U.S.-based actors.
The organisation warned that the pattern of selective consultation risks deepening distrust, emboldening extremists and damaging the fragile interfaith balance in Nigeria. It also questioned why Muslim victims and institutions were overlooked and what safeguards exist to prevent U.S. policy on Nigeria from being influenced by foreign religious lobbies, including evangelical and Zionist groups.
“Nigeria must not become a playground for imported prejudice or religiously skewed foreign policy,” MPAC stated.
The organisation reaffirmed its commitment to justice and urged international partners to engage Nigeria with fairness, balance and respect for its religious diversity.