US says Nigeria must ‘protect Christians’ at Abuja security talks

The United States said Nigeria “must do more to protect Christians” following a mass kidnapping across several churches in Kaduna state, as a high-level security meeting kicked off in Abuja on Thursday. But in a speech, a senior State Department official leading the US delegation omitted any mention of Muslim victims of violence in Africa’s […]

The United States said Nigeria “must do more to protect Christians” following a mass kidnapping across several churches in Kaduna state, as a high-level security meeting kicked off in Abuja on Thursday.

But in a speech, a senior State Department official leading the US delegation omitted any mention of Muslim victims of violence in Africa’s most populous country.

The remarks come as Abuja has been under diplomatic pressure by Washington over violence that US President Donald Trump says amounts to “genocide” and “persecution” of Christians.

That framing is rejected by the Nigerian government and independent analysts in the country, which faces overlapping security challenges that kill both Muslim and Christian civilians alike.

“The government of Nigeria must do more to protect Christians and their right to practise their faith freely and safely,” said Allison Hooker, State Department under secretary for political affairs, referencing the kidnapping of more than 170 people from several churches.

Hooker is the highest US government official to visit Nigeria under the Trump administration.

Hooker’s focus on Christian victims shows Abuja will have to continue to grapple with Washington’s agenda as the two countries advance security cooperation following joint strikes on militants late last year.

“We are here to discuss how we can work together to deter violence against Christian communities,” Hooker told the Nigerian delegation, according to prepared remarks.

Other US priorities include “countering terrorism and insecurity; investigating attacks and holding perpetrators accountable; and reducing the number of killings, forced displacements, and abductions of Christians in the north central states”.

 

Gains of US, Nigeria engagement tangible – FG

The Federal Government has acknowledged that the US-Nigeria military and security cooperation had translated into tangible operational gains since November 2025.

The National Security Adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu, made this known while speaking during the inauguration of the US-Nigeria Joint Working Group in Abuja

According to him, “I would like to place firmly on record Nigeria’s appreciation for the depth, quality and impact of U.S.-Nigeria military and security cooperation, since the November 2025 engagements, this cooperation has translated into tangible operational gains.

“Enhanced intelligence sharing, closer coordination between US AFRICOM and Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters and sustained engagement across our security institutions.

“It has materially strengthened our counter-terrorism posture and situational awareness across multiple theatres of operation”

The NSA, who said the engagements had moved decisively beyond dialogue to action and had supported improved target identification and operational fidelity, added that the engagements had also strengthened joint planning, and enabled more effective disruption of terrorist networks and transnational criminal elements.

According to him, these efforts have resulted in the neutralization of several hundreds of terrorists, the destruction of logistics hubs, and the interception of key facilitators and logisticians.

He said the Federal Government had taken deliberate and decisive steps to confront insecurity with the formal declaration of security emergencies in vulnerable and high risk areas by President Bola Tinubu.

According to him, Nigeria is a deeply plural society, and the protection of all citizens, Christians, Muslims, and those of other beliefs, is non-negotiable.

Similarly, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, said the current engagement represented the third high level engagement by senior US government leadership since the Nigeria’s delegation visit in November 2025.

He said the bilateral engagement was a reflection of not only a shared commitment to religious freedom and civilian protection, but also a mature strategic relationship grounded in trust, candour, and shared responsibility.

According to him, we want Nigerians to know that this partnership is working and yielding tangible gains, and to please bear with us.