Muslim group accuses U.S. congressional delegation of biased consultations

The Muslim Public Affairs Centre (MPAC) has criticised a recent visit by a United States congressional delegation to Nigeria, accusing members of the team of engaging in what it called “sectarian” and “biased consultations.

In a statement yesterday, the organisation singled out U.S. Congressman Riley Moore, who had previously promotedclaims of “Christian genocide” in Nigeria.

Moore, according to the group, wrote on X that he travelled “in the name of the Lord and on behalf of the American people” and highlighted meetings with Catholic Bishops Wilfred Anagbe and Isaac Dugu, as well as the Tiv traditional ruler, James Ioruza, during a stop in Benue State.

MPAC said Moore’s focus on Christian and traditional leaders, while not meeting with any Muslim leaders, sent a troubling message in a country where religious identity is central to public life. The group noted that the delegation did not consult the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), the apex body for Muslims in the country, nor visit Muslim communities affected by violence.

“This was not a scheduling oversight. It was a message,” MPAC said, arguing that the “selective engagement suggests partisanship and appears aligned with narratives promoted by extreme Christian propagandists and other biased U.S.-based actors.”

The organisation warned that such patterns of consultation risk heightening distrust, emboldening extremists, and damaging interfaith relations in Nigeria.

It also questioned why Muslim victims and institutions were excluded and what mechanisms exist to prevent U.S. policy from being shaped by foreign religious lobbies, particularly evangelical and Zionist groups.

“Nigeria must not become a playground for imported prejudice or religiously skewed foreign policy,” MPAC warned.

It reiterated its commitment to defending justice and called on international partners to approach Nigeria with fairness, balance, and respect for its religious diversity.(Guardian)