The United States has called on Nigeria to take more robust and decisive steps to safeguard Christian communities, warning that recent attacks highlight the need for stronger security measures.
US Secretary for Political Affairs, Allison Hooker, made the call during a high-level US–Nigeria working group meeting held in Abuja on Thursday, where officials discussed joint strategies to curb violence, strengthen counterterrorism efforts, investigate attacks, and ensure accountability for perpetrators.
Hooker said the dialogue focused on reducing killings, abductions and forced displacement of Christians, particularly in north-central Nigeria, while improving cooperation between both countries.
She acknowledged progress made by the Nigerian government but stressed that recent incidents show more needs to be done.
“On the protection of Christians, the Nigerian government recently secured the release of 38 Christians abducted from a church in Kwara state, and another 265 abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic School. This real progress is a direct result of our engagement with the Nigerian government,” she said.
“However, we are concerned about recent reports that gunmen kidnapped more than 170 Christians in Kaduna State on January 18. The Government of Nigeria must do more to protect Christians and their right to practise their faith freely and safely.”
Hooker added that improving religious freedom and security would strengthen broader US–Nigeria relations, including trade, economic cooperation, public health and counterterrorism.
“Advancing religious freedom and security will help the United States and Nigeria enhance the reciprocal benefits of our relationship: solidifying trade and economic deals, degrading terrorist groups that threaten our interests, and strengthening health responses, among many other areas,” she said.
“We hope to identify ways to return internally displaced persons to the communities from which they were expelled in the north-central states, interdict weapons and funding going to terrorist groups, expand investigations, and ensure the prosecution of individuals and groups committing atrocities.”
Responding, Nigeria’s national security adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, acknowledged the severity of the security challenges and said the government was stepping up military and law enforcement operations in troubled regions.
He insisted that violence framed along religious lines would not be tolerated.
“Nigeria is a deeply plural society, and the protection of all citizens—Christians, Muslims and those of other beliefs—is non-negotiable. Violence framed along religious lines is treated as an attack on the Nigerian state itself,” Ribadu said.
“Our response, therefore, integrates security operations, the rule of law, humanitarian safeguards and strategic communication, ensuring that operational successes translate into public confidence and strengthened social cohesion.”
He said the federal government, under President Bola Tinubu, had taken deliberate measures to tackle insecurity, including intensified joint operations and sustained deployment of security forces to vulnerable communities.
“These directives have been matched with concrete action. Nigeria is expanding early-warning and rapid-response mechanisms and developing a national database to serve as a single, authoritative source of accurate and verifiable data on deaths and casualties arising from violence,” Ribadu said.
“This effort will strengthen evidence-based decision-making, accountability and the effectiveness of security responses. In parallel, investigations and prosecutions related to attacks on religious communities have been intensified to ensure that violence is met not only with force, but with justice and accountability.”
