A U.S. lawmaker, Congressman Riley M. Moore, met with a senior Nigerian government delegation in Washington, D.C., to address the rising killings of Christians and the expanding threat of terrorist groups operating across Nigeria.
The Nigerian delegation was led by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, and included top officials such as the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Ojukwu; Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun; Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi; Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Olufemi Oluyede; and the Chief of Defence Intelligence, Lt. Gen. E. A. P. Undiendeye. Also present were senior aides and diplomats from the Office of the NSA and the Nigerian Embassy.
The delegation briefed Moore on the country’s ongoing counterterrorism challenges, the need for increased security assistance, and efforts to protect vulnerable communities facing attacks from Boko Haram, ISWAP, armed militias, and other violent groups.
In a statement shared on his X handle, Moore reaffirmed the United States’ expectations for clear progress, warning that the Trump administration would not tolerate continued violence against Christians in Nigeria. He insisted that President Donald Trump’s warnings on religious persecution “were not idle threats.”
“I made it crystal clear that the United States must see tangible steps to ensure that Christians are not subjected to violence, persecution, displacement, and death simply for believing in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,” Moore said.
He added that the U.S. government was ready to expand support for Nigeria in combating Boko Haram, ISWAP, and what he called ‘Fulani militants’, especially in the Northeast and Middle Belt regions, where Christian communities have suffered repeated attacks.
Moore stressed that both Congress and the Trump administration were “serious in our resolve” to help dismantle terrorist networks in Nigeria and urged the Nigerian government to take up America’s “open hand of cooperation” to end the bloodshed.
The meeting comes ahead of an open hearing today by the U.S. House Subcommittee on Africa, which will review Trump’s recent designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) over alleged violations of religious freedom. The hearing, chaired by Rep. Chris Smith, will feature senior U.S. State Department officials and Nigerian religious leaders.
The invitation sent to members of the Committee on Foreign Affairs listed key panelists, including Jonathan Pratt of the Bureau of African Affairs and Jacob McGee of the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labour. A second panel will include Nina Shea, Director of the Centre for Religious Freedom; Bishop Wilfred Anagbe of the Makurdi Catholic Diocese; and Oge Onubogu of the Centre for Strategic & International Studies.
The hearing is expected to examine the scale of religious persecution in Nigeria and consider possible policy actions such as targeted sanctions, humanitarian aid, and closer cooperation with Nigerian authorities.
On October 31, 2025, President Trump redesignated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern, accusing the government of failing to protect Christians and alleging widespread religious persecution. He claimed that Christianity faced an “existential threat” in Nigeria, with thousands killed by radical Islamist groups.
President Donald Trump’s recent declaration naming Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern has intensified scrutiny, with U.S. officials preparing to evaluate the extent of religious persecution and consider policy responses ranging from sanctions to increased humanitarian assistance.
But President Bola Tinubu rejected Trump’s claims, stating that they distort Nigeria’s true religious environment and fail to acknowledge the nation’s firm constitutional protections for freedom of worship.
