A US Congressman, Riley Moore, has said the United States should not remove Nigeria from its Country of Particular Concern, CPC, designation, citing continued attacks against Christians in parts of the country.

Moore said the Nigerian government must do more to protect Christian communities and hold those responsible for attacks accountable. His comments followed a recent attack in Plateau State, where more than 24 people were reportedly killed and several others remained missing.

The US Bureau of African Affairs had also condemned the attack and urged the Nigerian government to strengthen the protection of vulnerable communities.

Meanwhile, the Christian Elders and Professionals Consultative Council of Nigeria supported the concerns raised by the US, while stressing that Christians, Muslims and traditional religious practitioners all deserved equal protection.

The group called for thorough investigations and prosecution of those responsible for killings, kidnappings and displacement, while urging the government to improve intelligence gathering, early warning systems and security responses.

Nigeria was first designated a CPC by the US in 2020, removed from the list in 2021, and later returned to the designation under the Trump administration. The status is reviewed annually, with the next review scheduled for November.