The United States Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, has held a high-level security meeting with Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, at the Pentagon, amid rising concerns over what Washington describes as “horrific violence” targeting Christian communities across Nigeria.
In a statement posted on his official X account, @SecWar, Hegseth revealed that discussions focused on the surge in deadly attacks carried out by Boko Haram, ISWAP, and armed militias in the northern and Middle Belt regions.
“Yesterday, I met with Nigeria’s National Security Advisor and his team to discuss the horrific violence against Christians in their country,” he wrote. “Under @POTUS leadership, DOW is working aggressively with Nigeria to end the persecution of Christians by jihadist terrorists.”
Photographs shared alongside the statement showed formal introductions and a closed-door session between both delegations.
The timing of the engagement is significant, coming just days after terrorists kidnapped 215 pupils and 12 teachers from a Catholic school in Niger State — an incident that has deepened public anxiety and renewed global scrutiny of Nigeria’s worsening security climate.
Human rights organizations, including Open Doors and the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law, have repeatedly warned that Christian communities are facing unprecedented levels of violence. Recent estimates indicate that more than 7,000 Christians were killed in the first seven months of 2025 alone — an average of over 30 deaths per day — as attacks on churches, farming settlements, and travelers escalate.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has ordered the closure of 47 Unity Colleges, citing security concerns affecting vulnerable school communities.
The meeting also follows a series of increasingly forceful warnings from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has threatened potential American military action if Nigeria fails to curb extremist violence. Trump has previously said U.S. forces could be deployed “guns-a-blazing” to confront jihadist groups if required.
Earlier this year, the administration restored Nigeria to its list of “Countries of Particular Concern” over religious-freedom violations, making future American support conditional on measurable improvements in the protection of threatened minority groups.
The U.S. and Nigeria are expected to continue consultations as international pressure mounts for decisive action against extremist violence.
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