United States Congressman Riley Moore has defended the continued designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), citing ongoing attacks against Christians in the country’s Middle Belt.

Moore made the remarks in a post on his verified X account on Tuesday, following a recent attack in Plateau State that reportedly left at least 23 people dead.

“This is exactly why the US Department of State cannot lift Nigeria’s CPC designation. Christians are being slaughtered across the Middle Belt with impunity,” Moore said.

He argued that although there might have been improvements in parts of northern Nigeria, attacks against Christians in the Middle Belt remained a serious concern.

“There may be progress in the north, but nothing has changed in the Middle Belt, where most attacks against Christians occur,” he said.

Moore also criticised the previous US administration’s decision to remove Nigeria from the CPC list, saying Washington should not repeat what he described as the mistake of the Biden administration.

He claimed that the designation was removed after former President Donald Trump’s first term and alleged that attacks against Christians subsequently worsened.

“We cannot make the same mistake the Biden administration made. Biden removed the CPC designation from Nigeria after President Trump’s first term and all hell broke loose on Christians. We must stop the genocide,” Moore said.

The comments followed the reported killing of at least 23 people when gunmen attacked a community in Plateau State.

The US had previously designated Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern over concerns about religious freedom and violence targeting Christians.