Federal Independent Agencies
Here's a look at documents from federal independent agencies
Featured Stories
Occupational Safety & Health Review Commission: Court Orders Phenix Lumber to Pay $2.4 Million Following Employee Fatality
WASHINGTON, May 12 -- The Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission has affirmed more than $2.4 million in penalties against MDLG Inc. dba Phenix Lumber Co., Phenix City, Alabama, following a tragic workplace accident (Docket No.: 24-0405). The decision, issued by Judge Joshua R. Patrick on April 3, 2026, grants a motion for summary judgment filed by the Secretary of Labor. The ruling confirms 22 willful-serious violations, one repeat violation, and five serious violations.
The investigation began after local authorities reported that a Phenix Lumber employee died after falling into a woodchipper
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WASHINGTON, May 12 -- The Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission has affirmed more than $2.4 million in penalties against MDLG Inc. dba Phenix Lumber Co., Phenix City, Alabama, following a tragic workplace accident (Docket No.: 24-0405). The decision, issued by Judge Joshua R. Patrick on April 3, 2026, grants a motion for summary judgment filed by the Secretary of Labor. The ruling confirms 22 willful-serious violations, one repeat violation, and five serious violations.
The investigation began after local authorities reported that a Phenix Lumber employee died after falling into a woodchipperauger while trying to clear a jam. OSHA inspectors identified numerous safety failures, specifically regarding lockout/tagout procedures--the practice of ensuring dangerous machines are properly shut off and unable to be started up again during maintenance. While the case was pending, the company filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and attempted to stay the proceedings. The court denied that request in 2025. Although two individuals associated with the company reached a settlement in a separate docket, MDLG, Inc. did not.
The court noted a troubling safety record at the facility. Over the last 20 years, the company received 183 final order citations across 24 separate inspections. Specifically, 71 citations involved lockout/tagout failures, and the facility was the site of another fatality in 2020 involving a different auger.
In February 2026, Phenix Lumber stipulated that it had violated the safety standards as alleged. However, the company contested the size of the penalties. Because the company failed to provide evidence or affidavits to support its claim that the fines were inappropriate, the court upheld the full amount proposed by the Secretary of Labor. The court stated that gravity is the most important factor in determining an appropriate penalty, citing the high probability of severe injury or death resulting from the company's failure to guard machinery and implement fall protection. The final order assesses a total penalty of $2,471,683. With this ruling, the trial previously scheduled for April 13, 2026, is cancelled.
-- Vidhi Gianani, Targeted News Service
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Original text here: https://www.oshrc.gov/wp-content/uploads/24-0405-MDLG-Inc.-ALJ-Decision-and-Order-on-Summary-Judgment-Final.pdf
EPA Proposes Approving North Carolina's Plan to Remove Vehicle Emissions Testing Requirement in 19 Counties
WASHINGTON, May 11 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release:
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EPA Proposes Approving North Carolina's Plan to Remove Vehicle Emissions Testing Requirement in 19 Counties
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RALEIGH, N.C. (May 11, 2026) -On Friday, May 8, 2026, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed to approve North Carolina's request to remove its vehicle inspection and maintenance (I/M) program-commonly known as emissions testing-from the State Implementation Plan (SIP) for the remaining 19 counties across the state. According to the North Carolina Department of Transportation,
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WASHINGTON, May 11 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release:
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EPA Proposes Approving North Carolina's Plan to Remove Vehicle Emissions Testing Requirement in 19 Counties
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RALEIGH, N.C. (May 11, 2026) -On Friday, May 8, 2026, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed to approve North Carolina's request to remove its vehicle inspection and maintenance (I/M) program-commonly known as emissions testing-from the State Implementation Plan (SIP) for the remaining 19 counties across the state. According to the North Carolina Department of Transportation,this change, if finalized, will save North Carolinians drivers and motorists nearly $20 million annually on emissions inspection testing, while still maintaining clean air in the state.
EPA is proposing that North Carolina's plan demonstrates these changes will not interfere with the state's ability to attain or maintain any of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) or meet any other requirements under the Clean Air Act (CAA).
"Through cooperative federalism, EPA is working with North Carolina to lower costs for their residents while maintaining protection for human health and the environment," said EPA Regional Administrator Kevin McOmber. "EPA is committed to eliminating unnecessary burdens to make testing more convenient and affordable for drivers and ensuring clean air for all Americans."
Under the CAA, any SIP revision must demonstrate that it will not interfere with attainment or maintenance of the NAAQS or any other applicable requirements. Over the last decade, North Carolina has shown that removing emissions testing in these counties does not impact the state's ability to be in attainment with federal air quality regulations. This proposed approval reflects significant long-term improvements in North Carolina's air quality and indicates that emissions testing is no longer necessary for these counties to maintain compliance with federal air quality standards.
If finalized as proposed, the federal requirement for vehicle emissions testing would be removed from the SIP for the following counties: Alamance, Buncombe, Cabarrus, Cumberland, Davidson, Durham, Forsyth, Franklin, Gaston, Guilford, Iredell, Johnston, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, New Hanover, Randolph, Rowan, Union, and Wake.
Although the federal emissions testing requirement would be lifted for all counties in North Carolina if this proposal is finalized, Mecklenburg County would still continue to implement an emissions testing program under state law.
EPA will hold a 30-day public comment period on the proposal. For more information on the proposal, please click here Exit EPA's website.
Background
Vehicle emissions testing in North Carolina began in 1982, when Mecklenburg County became the first in the state to implement a tailpipe emissions testing program. Over time, the program expanded to 47 additional counties, bringing the total to 48.
As air quality improved, North Carolina began scaling back the program. In 2017, the state submitted a SIP revision to remove emissions testing requirements from 26 counties, which EPA approved in 2018. Additional revisions submitted in 2020 removed three more counties, with EPA approval granted in 2022. The current proposal addresses the remaining 19 counties. In 2025, North Carolina marked a milestone of 10 consecutive years in compliance with all applicable NAAQS.
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Original text here: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-proposes-approving-north-carolinas-plan-remove-vehicle-emissions-testing
EPA Issues Guidance on Streamlining Clean Air Act Title V Operating Permit Process to Expedite Approvals
WASHINGTON, May 11 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release:
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EPA Issues Guidance on Streamlining Clean Air Act Title V Operating Permit Process to Expedite Approvals
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WASHINGTON -Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued guidance clarifying the agency's review process of Clean Air Act (CAA) title V permits to streamline and expedite approvals. This action, which can shave additional time off the permitting process, gives American businesses regulatory certainty and states flexibility to work through the process with the public without slowing
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WASHINGTON, May 11 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release:
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EPA Issues Guidance on Streamlining Clean Air Act Title V Operating Permit Process to Expedite Approvals
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WASHINGTON -Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued guidance clarifying the agency's review process of Clean Air Act (CAA) title V permits to streamline and expedite approvals. This action, which can shave additional time off the permitting process, gives American businesses regulatory certainty and states flexibility to work through the process with the public without slowingdown the ability to issue a permit.
"This guidance provides commonsense clarifications that will help get title V permits out the door quickly, speeding up economic development all while maintaining the same level of transparency, accountability, and public participation," said EPA Assistant Administrator for Air Aaron Szabo. "For too long the Clean Air Act has been used as an excuse to slow walk projects beneficial to our communities, the Trump EPA is changing this through the plain reading of the law. We can protect human health and the environment and have an efficient permitting process."
The guidance clarifies that state, local, and Tribal permitting authorities may submit title V permit applications to EPA before opening the public comment periods, then conduct public comments concurrently with EPA's review. This preserves public participation and is particularly effective when the permitting authority does not anticipate adverse comment on the draft permit. The guidance also affirms that the CAA does not require a full 45-day review by EPA. Therefore, EPA is encouraging its regional offices to expedite their review of proposed permits where appropriate and upon request from EPA's permitting partners. This approach will reduce unnecessary delays by allowing simultaneous and expedited review, rather than slowing paperwork down in sequential steps. The guidance does not change or substitute for any law, regulation, or any other legally binding requirement. The Trump EPA is committed to following all of its statutory obligations and fulfilling its core mission of protecting human health and the environment.
Today's action reinforces EPA's commitment to reduce administrative burdens and permitting delays. The agency will continue working closely with permitting authorities to support implementation of these improvements and identify additional opportunities to enhance the title V and other CAA programs.
To read the guidance, visit: Title V Operating Permit Policy and Guidance Document Index.
Background
In April, EPA issued different guidance to streamline the title V operating permit renewal process.
Title V of the CAA requires all air pollution requirements for major industrial sources to be consolidated into a single, federally enforceable operating permit. These programs are primarily administered by state, local, and Tribal air agencies, and permits typically must be renewed every five years.
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Original text here: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-issues-guidance-streamlining-clean-air-act-title-v-operating-permit-process
Smithsonian Libraries and Archives Announces 2026 Programming
WASHINGTON, May 9 -- The Smithsonian Institution Libraries and Archives issued the following news release:
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Smithsonian Libraries and Archives Announces 2026 Programming
Scholarly Panel, Book Talks and Two New Exhibits Opening Throughout the Year
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Smithsonian Libraries and Archives will launch a dynamic lineup of exhibitions and public programming starting in May as part of the Smithsonian's Our Shared Future: 250 celebrations. Drawing from its extensive collection of rare books, archives and artworks, Libraries and Archives will present a new display in the Smithsonian's National Museum
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WASHINGTON, May 9 -- The Smithsonian Institution Libraries and Archives issued the following news release:
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Smithsonian Libraries and Archives Announces 2026 Programming
Scholarly Panel, Book Talks and Two New Exhibits Opening Throughout the Year
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Smithsonian Libraries and Archives will launch a dynamic lineup of exhibitions and public programming starting in May as part of the Smithsonian's Our Shared Future: 250 celebrations. Drawing from its extensive collection of rare books, archives and artworks, Libraries and Archives will present a new display in the Smithsonian's National Museumof Natural History, a new exhibition in the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History and a range of interactive events. Audiences will have opportunities to connect more deeply with American history, art and science during this milestone year for the nation. All offerings are free, but some events require registration.
Spring and Summer
City of Knowledge: Science, Place, Power
Thursday, May 14, noon-1 p.m.
Benjamin Franklin Hall, Philadelphia
The City of Knowledge, a four-part, cross-institutional program series that contemplates urban centers as sites of scientific power, has examined Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia to answer two key questions: how has science shared a history with urban places, and why should the place of science matter when writing about the history of science? The final event of the series will be hosted at the American Philosophical Society in Philadelphia with scholars Susan Brandt and Domenic Vitiello. The interactive panel will encourage dialogue between panelists and the audience about Philadelphia's contributions to scientific advancements in early America during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The event is free, but registration is required.
"Imagining Bison"
Thursday, May 21, 2026-summer 2027
National Museum of Natural History, ground floor
A display of objects drawn primarily from Smithsonian Libraries and Archives' rich collections honoring the American bison, the nation's mammal, will open at the end of May on the ground floor of the National Museum of Natural History. Curated by Kirk Johnson, the museum's Sant Director, the exhibition traces representations of bison from Indigenous drawings and early scientific illustrations to photographs and publications documenting the Smithsonian's pivotal role in early bison conservation efforts. Highlights include a hand-colored book illustration of an American bison pre-dating the Declaration of Independence, an original $10 "buffalo" bill from 1901 and a powerful 1888 bison portrait created to combat the species' near-extinction. More information about the exhibit is online.
From Seeds to Stories: A Conversation with Christopher DeMario
Friday, June 12, 4-6 p.m.
Studio Theatre, 1501 14th St. N.W.
From horticultural innovations in flower hybrids to inspiring the war and victory gardens of the 20th century, the Burpee company is a staple of American agriculture, and, even 150 years after its founding, Burpee continues to be the world's largest home garden and seed company. Christopher DeMario, author of The Burpee Seed Company: Planting U.S. History since the Nineteenth Century published by Smithsonian Scholarly Press, will discuss the history of the Burpee family enterprise and the 200 boxes of archival business records donated to the Smithsonian that detail this family legacy. After the conversation, attendees can join a garden party-style reception in the atrium.
Fall
Feathers, Forensics, and the Smithsonian: A Conversation with Chris Sweeney
Thursday, Sept. 17
Studio Theatre, 1501 14th St. N.W.
Award-winning journalist and author Chris Sweeney joins Smithsonian Libraries and Archives for a conversation about his new book The Feather Detective: Mystery, Mayhem, and the Magnificent Life of Roxie Laybourne. The world's first forensic ornithologist, Roxie Laybourne pioneered the techniques for bird identification--solving aviation incidents, tracking poachers and shaping modern science--while at the National Museum of Natural History. Sweeney will give a behind-the-scenes look at how he used Libraries and Archives' materials and archives to uncover Laybourne's remarkable life story.
"American Stories: Artists' Books from the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives"
Opening October 2026
Smithsonian Libraries Gallery, National Museum of American History, First Floor, West
Works of art inspired by books delve into personal, collective and national histories in Smithsonian Library and Archives' new exhibition, "American Stories," featuring more than 40 artists' books from its collection. The exhibition explores American identity and experience through this versatile and inventive medium, and includes a commemoration of Hawaii's native culture, a Louisiana community's rituals as a hurricane rolls in and an artist's celebration of her heritage through African and American fabrics. A variety of artists' books will be on view, including one-of-a-kind works, examples from famed American artists including Sol LeWitt and Ed Ruscha, and recent acquisitions from contemporary artists. Accompanying workshops and public programs will be announced later this year.
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About the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives
The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives is an international system of research libraries and an institutional archive. With 44,000 cubic feet of archival materials and a comprehensive collection of print and electronic materials covering art and design, history and science, the Libraries and Archives serve as a resource for the Smithsonian Institution, the global research community and the public. Locations are in Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, New York City and the Republic of Panama.
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Original text here: https://www.si.edu/newsdesk/releases/smithsonian-libraries-and-archives-announces-2026-programming
NCPC Provides Comments on the Eisenhower Executive Office Building Exterior Beautification Project
WASHINGTON, May 9 -- The National Capital Planning Commission issued the following news release on May 8, 2026:
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NCPC Provides Comments on the Eisenhower Executive Office Building Exterior Beautification Project
Approves Pentagon Commercial Vehicle Inspection Facility Plans
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At its Thursday, May 7 meeting the National Capital Planning Commission provided comments on concept plans for the Eisenhower Executive Office Building Exterior Beautification Project to the project applicant. The Commission will consider preliminary and final approval of the project in the future.
Plans submitted
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WASHINGTON, May 9 -- The National Capital Planning Commission issued the following news release on May 8, 2026:
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NCPC Provides Comments on the Eisenhower Executive Office Building Exterior Beautification Project
Approves Pentagon Commercial Vehicle Inspection Facility Plans
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At its Thursday, May 7 meeting the National Capital Planning Commission provided comments on concept plans for the Eisenhower Executive Office Building Exterior Beautification Project to the project applicant. The Commission will consider preliminary and final approval of the project in the future.
Plans submittedby the Executive Office of the President, Office of Administration call for improvements to the building's exterior that include cleaning and masonry preservation measures such as re-pointing, sealant replacement, and stone restoration, as well as painting the exterior facade, and repainting cast iron elements. The application included two painting options. The first would paint the entire building except for the base. The second would paint the building including the base. The historic building, designed in the French Second Empire Style and located adjacent to the White House at 1650 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, was constructed between 1871 and 1888 and was renamed the Dwight D. Eisenhower Executive Office Building in 1999.
Commissioners supported the applicant's intent to clean and preserve the building's masonry with re-pointing, sealant replacement, and stone restoration. They requested a summary of other measures considered to meet the project goals, including cleaning the building and/or lighting.
They also requested additional information prior to the next Commission review in order to be able to evaluate the painting options, including information about the proposed paint to be used, details regarding initial application, adhesion, water infiltration, long-term maintenance and upkeep, and ease of removal; along with examples of where paint has been successfully used on exterior granite facades. They requested photo-realistic visualizations of the building for each paint option and existing conditions from pedestrian level locations, including 17th Street, NW, F Street, NW, and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, and a mock-up of the proposed granite painting on-site to reflect the actual site and lighting conditions.
NCPC approved preliminary and final site and building plans submitted by the Washington Headquarters Services for a Commercial Vehicle Inspection Facility and a restroom facility at the 9/11 Memorial on the Pentagon's campus in Arlington, Virginia. These permanent facilities would replace existing temporary ones. Commissioners appreciated that the applicant updated design features based on previous Commission input. They recommended that the future master plan and projects incorporate measures to improve the pedestrian experience between the planned offsite Pentagon 9/11 Memorial Visitor Education Center and the memorial, as well as provide additional wayfinding signage to direct visitors to the memorial's entrance.
Commission actions and related materials are available online.
The Commission approved three items on the Consent Calendar (no presentations were made). Unless otherwise noted, the projects are in Washington, DC.
1. Final master plan amendment for the Southeast Federal Center - Revised Master Plan 4th Amendment, Southeast Federal Center, The Yards. (MP03)
2. Comments to the Mayor of the District of Columbia for the District of Columbia Capital Improvements Plan FY 2027-2032. (0348)
3. Final site and building plans for the James J. Rowley Training Center Defense Training Facility, 9200 Powder Mill Road, Laurel, Maryland. (8635)
The Executive Director approved two items under authority delegated by the Commission. Unless otherwise noted, the projects are in Washington, DC.
1. Preliminary site and building plans for the Building 76 Museum Support Center Renovation, 805 Kidder Breese Street, SE. (8775)
2. Preliminary and final site and building plans for the Joint Base Anacostia Bolling New Equipment Installation, 20 MacDill Boulevard, SE. (8752)
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The National Capital Planning Commission is the federal government's central planning agency in Washington, DC and surrounding counties of Maryland and Virginia. The Commission provides overall guidance for federal land and buildings in the region. It also reviews the design of federal projects and memorials, oversees long-range planning for future development, and monitors capital investment by federal agencies.
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Original text here: https://www.ncpc.gov/participate/releases/2026/NCPC_Provides_Comments_on_the_Eisenhower_Executive_Office_Building_Exterior_Beautification_Project.pdf
Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston Announces Retirement of President and Chief Executive Officer
WASHINGTON, May 9 -- The Federal Home Loan Bank System Office of Finance issued the following news release on May 8, 2026:
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Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston Announces Retirement of President and Chief Executive Officer
The Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLBank) of Boston announced today that Timothy J. Barrett, President and Chief Executive Officer, has informed the FHLBank's board of directors of his intention to retire on a date to be determined once his successor is in place.
Mr. Barrett has served as the FHLBank's President and Chief Executive Officer since December 2021.
The FHLBank
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WASHINGTON, May 9 -- The Federal Home Loan Bank System Office of Finance issued the following news release on May 8, 2026:
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Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston Announces Retirement of President and Chief Executive Officer
The Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLBank) of Boston announced today that Timothy J. Barrett, President and Chief Executive Officer, has informed the FHLBank's board of directors of his intention to retire on a date to be determined once his successor is in place.
Mr. Barrett has served as the FHLBank's President and Chief Executive Officer since December 2021.
The FHLBankof Boston's board of directors has formed a search committee and retained an executive search firm to identify Mr. Barrett's successor.
For additional information, please see the FHLBank of Boston's Form 8-K filing on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission website, www.sec.gov.
The FHLBanks have delivered innovation and service to the U.S. housing market since 1932, and currently have approximately 6,400 members serving all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. Please contact Tom Heinle at (703) 467-3646 or theinle@fhlb-of.com for additional information.
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Original text here: https://fhlb-of.com/ofweb_userWeb/resources/PR2026-0508-PressRelease1.pdf
Commission on International Religious Freedom: Nonstate Violators of Religious Freedom in Nigeria - Fulani Militants
WASHINGTON, May 9 -- U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom issued the following fact sheet:
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Nonstate Violators of Religious Freedom in Nigeria: Fulani Militants
In recent years, armed actors from a Fulani ethnic background have perpetrated some of the most visible and deadly attacks on religious communities--often but not exclusively against Christians--in Nigeria. These actors operate in a variety of contexts and with a multiplicity of likely aims and motivations. While many Fulani militant groups wage independent attacks, others periodically coordinate with a wide range
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WASHINGTON, May 9 -- U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom issued the following fact sheet:
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Nonstate Violators of Religious Freedom in Nigeria: Fulani Militants
In recent years, armed actors from a Fulani ethnic background have perpetrated some of the most visible and deadly attacks on religious communities--often but not exclusively against Christians--in Nigeria. These actors operate in a variety of contexts and with a multiplicity of likely aims and motivations. While many Fulani militant groups wage independent attacks, others periodically coordinate with a wide rangeof other actors, from conventional bandit gangs seeking financial enrichment to recognized terrorist organizations that espouse a violent interpretation of Islam.
This publication examines Fulani militants' role in deteriorating religious freedom conditions in Nigeria by explaining Muslim and Christian communal dynamics and providing examples of recent and ongoing religious freedom violations by violent Fulani actors. It also describes efforts--and shortcomings--on the part of the Nigerian government and civil society actors to bolster social cohesion, improve security, and reduce patterns of violence.
Fulani Dynamics and Militant Violence
The Fulani people are a Muslim-majority ethnic group largely concentrated in northern Nigeria and other adjacent areas in West Africa. They represent approximately six percent (or 14.5 million) of Nigeria's total population of about 242.4 million. Herding remains an important part of many Fulani people's livelihoods and identities but still faces societal stigma as a traditional way of life. A violent religious ideology, growing resource limitation and competition, population growth, poverty, and other factors have further embroiled the Fulani people in Nigeria's social instability challenges--and its increasingly volatile security landscape. An estimated 30,000 Fulani militants likely operate across the country, traditionally concentrating in the country's northwest, then migrating down through the Middle Belt, and becoming increasingly active in the South. Each group consists of anywhere from 10 to 1,000 members. While these militants do not share a centralized leadership, some collaborate on attacks.
Violence by Fulani militants caused the highest number of deaths among all religious communities in Nigeria over the last year as compared to attacks by organized insurgent groups and criminal gangs. Fulani assailants have not spared Muslims, raiding herders' cattle and violently attacking non-Fulani Muslim communities. Furthermore, many militants have targeted Christian communities in the Middle Belt and, increasingly, the South, burning homes and churches as well as kidnapping, raping, and murdering. Militants often coordinate via radio and utilize motorcycles and automatic weapons, rapidly hitting several targets at once in rural, isolated areas. They often wield machetes and descend on vulnerable communities during the night, eliciting terror as a way to force victims to quickly leave and to achieve greater control of desired land. These Fulani militant attacks, among those of other actors, have forced at least 1.3 million people in the Middle Belt off their land and into overcrowded, unsanitary, and unsafe conditions in displacement camps. Militants vary in their use of deadly force against religious communities, and many carry out sexual assault and abductions in hopes of intimidating them or profiting from ransom payments, respectively. Reportedly, some hostages remain hidden in remote locations such as the Rijana Forest in Kaduna State. Many of these hostages have faced violent sexual assault, causing lifelong trauma. Militant actors have often carried out operations during Christian holidays such as Christmas or Easter to further maximize the psychological impact, terrifying those communities from gathering to celebrate or worship. During attacks, assailants sometimes utter slogans with religious connotations, such as "Allahu Akbar."
In Plateau and Benue States, Fulani militants have recently perpetrated multiple attacks in which fatalities numbered in the hundreds. One attack in Benue in June 2025 killed at least 200 people, including internally displaced persons (IDPs) living in a Catholic mission, while a massacre that month in Yelwata, Benue forced over 3,000 people to flee their homes and killed over 200 Christians, mostly sleeping women and children. In May, Fulani militants abducted pastors Adura Kayode and Kingsley Ebing of the City of Grace Prophetic Liberation Church in Kogi State, and another assailant reportedly shot and seriously wounded a Catholic priest in Benue State. In October, militants killed seven Fulani Muslim herders in Kano State and stole 70 head of cattle; those assailants also abducted 10 members of the same herding community, demanding ransom payments.
Such violence continued apace in early 2026. In February, Fulani gunmen reportedly killed 12 in Barkin Ladi and Riyom, Plateau State, including one farmer and two herders. That same month, suspected Fulani militants killed at least 32 in the Borgu area of Niger State and reportedly attacked Holy Trinity Parish in Kafanchan Diocese in Kaduna, killing three people and abducting 11 others, including the parish priest, Father Nathaniel Asuwaye. In March, suspected militants killed 12 people in Benue State despite the recent deployment of over 400 security personnel to the region.
Fulani militants have also joined other armed groups in regularly using kidnapping as a tool of extortion, often targeting religious institutions as a potentially lucrative source of funding or profit. For example, in February 2026, armed men kidnapped an imam and seven worshipers from a mosque in Plateau, a state notorious for Fulani militants' attacks. The kidnappers demanded a ransom of 16 million Nigerian naira ($11,800). Additionally, "bandits"--a common term in local news headlines--have abducted children or teenagers from Christian and public schools as well as worshipers from both churches and mosques. In September 2025 in the northwestern state of Zamfara, for example, armed Fulani actors attacked a mosque during early morning prayers, seizing an unspecified number of Muslim worshipers. In April 2026, assailants abducted more than 150 people, mostly women and children, in Zamfara State. On Palm Sunday, assailants killed at least 28 in a heavily Christian area in Plateau State. One week later on Easter Sunday, Fulani militants reportedly killed five worshippers at two churches in Kaduna State while abducting 31 others, and suspected militants killed 17 people in Benue State. The fates of all these kidnapping victims, like so many others, remain unknown to the public due to the sensitivity of ransom negotiations and, in some cases, possible collusion between perpetrators and some officials from the police and/or army.
Further complicating matters is the fact that both conflicting media narratives and reported government censorship have hindered accurate analysis of the identities and motivations of the alarming number of armed nonstate actors that violate religious freedom in Nigeria. Some observers have argued environmental and economic factors as the driving force behind Fulani militants' acts of violence, while others have suggested that these actors are engaged in a concerted campaign of outright genocide against non-Muslims, especially Christians. In fact, multiple and overlapping factors, including religion in many cases, likely spur Fulani militants to attack communities or individuals. Regardless of these complex motivating factors, the escalation of Fulani-led land invasions and other violent assaults has yielded the same outcomes: severely disrupting the lives, livelihood, and ability to worship of many Christian and Muslim farmers while triggering their mass displacement and depriving them of their lands.
Nigerian Government Responses to Fulani Violence
Criticism of responses to Fulani militant violence from federal and state authorities has often described their responses as unsatisfactory at best and complicit at worst. Victims have long reported that security forces are consistently slow to respond to attacks on their communities. As in prior years, some Christian advocates have continued to suggest that security forces responding to or investigating attacks routinely show favoritism toward Muslim communities. Local governments have similarly failed to communicate or coordinate with victims and targeted religious communities, and some reports suggest that leaders may even exploit interethnic or interreligious tensions to advance their own agendas. Compounding these issues, religious leaders have at times sought to address the reported lack of government intervention by recruiting their own security personnel with poor training and little or no accountability for their actions, including use of force. In one incident, local Christians shifted from self-defense to pursuit of innocent actors, attacking Fulani hunters without provocation. Community representatives have pointed to deficiencies in the weapons and staff available to law enforcement and emphasized communities' corresponding need for self-defense.
In June 2025, in response to a Fulani-led wave of fatal violence in the Middle Belt, governors from 11 states, including Plateau, Benue, Kano, and Zamfara, took the first steps in an initiative to set aside ranch land for herders. Supporters of the program hope that access to ranching will reduce Fulani herders' reliance on an increasingly limited number of open grazing routes, preempting a common source of friction between Fulani Muslim herders and Christian-majority agriculturalists. Given that government sources and some Nigeria observers often point to the issue of land use rights as the primary catalyst of Fulani-led violence against farming communities--thereby dismissing any religious role in such violence--addressing these demands may indeed reveal other motivating factors, including religion, in any subsequent and ongoing violence.
At the federal level, U.S. President Donald J. Trump's designation in October 2025 of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for its religious freedom violations has since prompted more urgent action on the part of the Nigerian government. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu officially designated kidnappers and violent armed groups, such as Fulani militants, as "terrorists" in December, placing them at the same level of priority as armed insurgent groups. In January 2026, police rescued 309 hostages via coordinated security operations in Kogi and Kwara States, apprehending 129 suspected Fulani militants and killing 55 others. Also in January, the army dismantled a suicide bombing network linked to Fulani militants who had carried out a December 2025 attack that killed five people at a mosque in Gamboru.
There has been some evidence of increased government efforts, both before and after the October CPC designation, to address Fulani-led violence through prosecutions and community-level engagement. In September, prosecutors filed initial terrorism charges against nine Fulani herders. All nine defendants, including the alleged organizer of the massacre, Lawal Mohammed Dono Ardo, have reported ties to the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN). The police--which in Nigeria are a federal force with local offices--have also contributed to investigations of kidnappings of religious communities. And in December, the government brought together civil society groups, including religious communities, to reaffirm the government's commitment to conflict prevention via a new initiative, the Capacity Building Engagement for the Multi-Stakeholder Conflict Early Warning Response Group (EWRG). In early 2026, 19 state governments subsequently launched the Northern Nigeria Peace Campaign, which "calls upon on citizens, traditional institutions, and civil society organizations to embrace community service as a vital tool for peacebuilding, social cohesion, and sustainable development across Nigeria."
The Controversial Role of MACBAN
MACBAN promotes agricultural interests across Nigeria and maintains close ties with the Fulani community. The organization has faced longstanding criticism from Christian leaders who claim that it has been ineffective at best in reducing militant violence and Fulani herder incursions onto farmlands--and, at worst, possibly even foments land invasions, according to some. In turn, MACBAN has argued that violent Fulani militants represent only a minority of the greater Fulani population but perpetrate the majority of the violence against all religious communities, including Muslims. In 2025, the organization demanded a presidential directive for security agencies to protect herding communities, citing that they, too, face threats from violent militants and criminal gangs and insisting that they do not "support, condone, harbor, finance, or protect any form of criminality, extremism or violence." MACBAN and government representatives from Agatu, Benue State, have since engaged in more conciliatory negotiations, agreeing to set aside decades-old tensions and direct their joint efforts toward resisting criminal gangs that target both Christians and Muslims.
In February 2026, the U.S. Congress introduced a bill, the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026, that included MACBAN as an entity on which the U.S. Departments of State and the Treasury should impose targeted sanctions for its alleged role in perpetrating severe religious freedom violations. The same month, a congressional report to the White House outlined actions that the U.S. and Nigerian governments can take to end the persecution of Christian communities and address persistent security challenges in Nigeria.
Conclusion
Since the United States' CPC designation in October 2025 and attendant bilateral security discussions with Nigeria, armed Fulani actors have continued to carry out largescale incursions onto Christian farmers' agricultural lands, violent raids on Christian and Muslim religious sites, and kidnappings of laity and leaders from both religions. As a result, central Nigeria remains entrenched in an intense, daily, and seemingly perpetual crisis of insecurity--a crisis that is likely to persist until the federal and several state governments create broader underlying conditions that are more conducive to the safe practice of religious freedom.
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Professional Staff
Michael Ardovino, Policy Analyst
Gretchen Birkle, Senior Advisor
Susan Bishai, Supervisory Policy Analyst
Mollie Blum, Policy Analyst
Guillermo Cantor, Director of Research and Policy
Serena Doan, Supervisory Policy Analyst
Kaylee Fisher, Public Affairs Specialist
Andrew Hamm, Victims List Database Specialist
Sema Hasan, Senior Policy Analyst
Thomas Kraemer, Chief Administrative Officer
Kirsten Lavery, Supervisory Policy Analyst and International Legal Specialist
Veronica McCarthy, Government Affairs Specialist
Hilary Miller, Policy Analyst
Nora Morton, Operations Specialist
Molly Naylor-Komyatte, Policy Analyst
Dylan Schexnaydre, Policy Analyst
Katherine Todd, Policy Analyst
Ross Tokola, Policy Analyst
Brett Warner, Administrative Specialist
Scott Weiner, Supervisory Policy Analyst
Kurt Werthmuller, Supervisory Policy Analyst
Nathan Wineinger, Chief of Public Affairs
Jean Wu, Policy Analyst
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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan legislative branch agency established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze, and report on religious freedom abroad. USCIRF makes foreign policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion and belief.
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Original text here: https://www.uscirf.gov/sites/default/files/2026-05/2026%20Nigeria%20-%20Fulani%20Militants%20Report.pdf
