The United States, US, Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, met with Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, in Washington, D.C., following threats by former US President Donald Trump regarding Nigeria’s security situation.
“Yesterday, I met with Nigeria’s National Security Advisor and his team to discuss the horrific violence against Christians in their country,” Hegseth wrote on his official X account on Friday, sharing photos of the meeting.
“Under @POTUS leadership, DOW is working aggressively with Nigeria to end the persecution of Christians by jihadist terrorists,” he added.
Trump had earlier warned that he might instruct the Department of War to deploy troops into Nigeria, what he called guns-a-blazing to wipe out the Islamic Terrorists, whom he accused of targeting Christians.
In response to these threats, Ribadu led a high-level Nigerian delegation to the United States, acting on directives from President Bola Tinubu. The team included the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Ojukwu; the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun; Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi; and Chief of Defence Staff, Olufemi Oluyede.
Trump had recently designated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern, CPC, citing reports that Christians were being systematically killed. He warned that unless Nigeria halted what he described as the genocide of Christians, the US could take military action.
The Nigerian government has consistently rejected these claims, asserting that terrorist attacks in the country target both Muslims and Christians indiscriminately, and that there is no government-sanctioned persecution of any religious group.
Trump’s statements come amid rising insecurity in various regions of Nigeria, where terrorist groups have abducted numerous individuals and killed others
