U.S. Congressman Riley Moore has alleged that Chinese interests operating in Nigeria are indirectly financing terrorism through illegal mining activities, a claim Beijing has strongly rejected.
In an interview on Friday, Moore said Chinese nationals engaged in unlawful rare earth mineral extraction in Nigeria are paying protection fees to armed groups.
According to him, those funds are later used to carry out attacks, including violence targeting Christian communities.
Moore stated that he recently submitted a report to Donald Trump outlining what he described as the persecution of Christians in Nigeria.
Illegal Mining
He argued that the role of foreign actors in illegal mining operations has not received sufficient attention.
“One aspect largely overlooked,” Moore said, “is that Chinese operators involved in illicit rare earth mining are allegedly paying protection money to radical Islamic militants, who then use those resources to fund violence against Christian communities.”
The West Virginia lawmaker was part of a delegation that traveled to Nigeria on a fact-finding mission examining claims of religious persecution and mass killings.
Following the visit, he and four other members of Congress introduced legislation titled the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026.
The bill was co-sponsored by Chris Smith, Bill Huizenga, Brian Mast, and Mario Diaz-Balart.
The proposed legislation links illegal mining activities involving Chinese nationals to the financing of armed groups in Nigeria and calls for stronger U.S. diplomatic engagement on the issue.
Call For Collaboration
In the text of the bill, the lawmakers urged the U.S. Secretary of State to collaborate with the Nigerian government.
The aim is to counter what they described as “hostile foreign exploitation” of mineral resources.
Also of interest is the destabilising impact of protection payments to armed militias, including Fulani groups.
However, the Embassy of China in Nigeria has firmly denied the accusations.
In a statement released Thursday, the embassy dismissed claims that Chinese companies are bankrolling militant or extremist groups.
The embassy maintained that most Chinese mining firms in Nigeria operate lawfully and comply with local regulations.
Nigerian Mining Laws
It emphasised that the Chinese government enforces strict adherence to Nigerian mining laws and has zero tolerance for illegal practices.
“We strongly oppose and are deeply dissatisfied with the spread of false information,” the statement said, calling on media outlets to halt what it described as unfounded allegations.
Chinese officials further asserted that many of their companies in Nigeria contribute positively to local communities.
This is done by creating jobs, supporting development projects, and adhering to environmental standards, while strengthening bilateral cooperation in the mining sector.
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The controversy adds a new dimension to ongoing concerns in Washington over religious violence in Nigeria and the broader geopolitical competition between the United States and China in Africa’s resource-rich regions.