US Congressman Re-elected After Claiming Genocide Against Christians in Nigeria

Republican Congressman Riley Moore, who has often talked about Christian genocide in Nigeria, has been re-elected to the US House of Representatives during the Midterms.

Mr Moore beat Democratic candidate Ace Parsi to keep his position as the representative for West Virginia’s 2nd District.

He was one of the Republicans who won their seats while the Democrats had a strong showing in the elections.

The election was highly competitive, with Mr Moore winning 59.4 percent of the total votes.

“It’s been an honor of my life to represent West Virginia’s Second Congressional District. I’m proud of the work I’ve done to advance critical infrastructure investments, strengthen our aerospace and defense industries, and bring new economic opportunities and good-paying jobs to West Virginia.

“I’ll never stop fighting for West Virginians!” he posted on X after his victory.

PREMIUM TIMES reports that during Donald Trump's presidency, Mr Moore often criticized the Nigerian government for not protecting Christians in the country.

He consistently claimed that there was genocide against Christians happening in Nigeria, even though the Nigerian government denied it.

The government, along with local and international groups, said that Nigeria’s insecurity comes from many issues and is not aimed at any specific group.

First elected to the House in 2024, Mr Moore was also part of a US congressional team that visited Nigeria to talk about security in the West African country.

He is one of the sponsors of the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026, which was introduced in February with Congressman Chris Smith.

If passed, this law would make the US Secretary of State send regular reports to Congress about efforts to tackle religious persecution and large-scale violence in Nigeria.

He also supported the National Security, Department of State and Related Programs Appropriations Act for 2027, which aimed to cut foreign aid to Nigeria because of claims of targeted violence against Christians and other vulnerable groups.

Earlier, he mentioned that the US will closely watch Nigeria’s 2027 general election and focus on how credible and fair the elections are.

Democrats won control of Congress in the midterms and can limit Trump’s foreign policy actions when the new Congress starts in January 2027.

But it is unclear how these changes in US politics will affect Washington’s relationship with Nigeria and Africa overall.