A United States congressman, Riley McGowan Moore, has called for prayers over the abduction of 25 schoolgirls in Northern Nigeria and the killing of their vice principal during the attack.
Moore issued the statement on X on Tuesday, urging global attention and describing the affected area as a “Christian enclave.”
His remark, however, triggered an immediate pushback from a former presidential aide, Bashir Ahmad, who accused the US lawmaker of misrepresenting the religious identity of the community and endangering Nigeria’s fragile social fabric with what he called an “unholy narrative.”
Moore wrote: “Please join me in praying for the 25 girls who have been kidnapped and for the repose of the soul of their vice principal who was killed. While we don’t have all the details on this horrific attack, we know that the attack occurred in a Christian enclave in Northern Nigeria.
The Nigerian government must do more to end the rampant violence.”
The post drew widespread reactions online, but it was Ahmad’s rebuttal that stood out for its blunt tone and urgency.
In his response, Ahmad corrected the congressman’s description, stressing that the school, the host community, and the victims are Muslim.
He wrote: “While appreciating your concern and praying for our sisters, it is important to correct a crucial detail here.
The attack did not occur in a Christian enclave. It happened within a Muslim community and the victims themselves were Muslims.”
He added that Moore’s framing of the incident risked deepening divisions: “This is precisely why we keep saying that even you, Americans, either do not understand the complexity of Nigeria’s insecurity challenges, or you are deliberately pushing unholy narratives that risk worsening our already fragile unity.”
Ahmad’s reaction highlights a long-running debate around how international actors interpret Nigeria’s security crisis, especially where attacks are mistakenly cast as being driven primarily by religious motives.
The abduction of the 25 girls has drawn condemnation across Nigeria and abroad, with renewed calls for the government to intensify rescue efforts and address the worsening insecurity in Northern states.
