The United States has called on the Nigerian government to take firmer and more decisive measures to safeguard Christian communities across the country.
The call followed the abduction of more than 170 worshippers in Kaduna State, an incident that has renewed concerns about religiously motivated violence in Nigeria.
The Kaduna State Government and the police initially denied reports of the abduction on Monday, but the police later reversed their stance on Wednesday, confirming that the worshippers had indeed been taken.
The abductors are said to have demanded the return of 17 motorcycles, estimated to be worth ₦28.9 million, which they alleged were confiscated during recent military operations, as a condition for releasing the victims.
Speaking at a high-level U.S.–Nigeria Working Group meeting in Abuja on Thursday, U.S. Under Secretary for Political Affairs, Allison Hooker, said that although some progress had been recorded in recent months, fresh attacks underscored the need for Nigeria to do more to ensure the safety of Christians and their freedom to worship.
Hooker said, “Today, we are here to discuss how we can work together to deter violence against Christian communities; prioritise counterterrorism and insecurity; investigate attacks and hold perpetrators accountable; and reduce the number of killings, forced displacements and abductions of Christians, particularly in the North-Central states.
“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.
“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.”
She added that strengthening religious freedom and security would also reinforce U.S.–Nigeria cooperation in other critical areas, including trade, economic relations, health responses and counterterrorism efforts, while supporting the return of displaced persons to their communities.
She said, “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. 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, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, acknowledged the seriousness of the security situation and said the government was intensifying military and law enforcement actions in affected regions.
He stressed that attacks framed along religious lines were unacceptable and would be confronted with decisive force and justice.
“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.
“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.
Ribadu said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had approved expanded security deployments, improved intelligence coordination and more robust investigations into attacks on religious communities, assuring that those responsible would be identified and prosecuted.
He said, “At the national level, and under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nigeria has taken deliberate and decisive steps to confront insecurity. The President has formally declared national security emergencies in vulnerable and high-risk areas, authorised intensified joint operations, and directed the sustained deployment of security forces to priority locations, particularly communities experiencing recurrent attacks on civilians and religious groups.
“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.
“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.”
