High-Stakes Meeting: Nigeria’s NSA Ribadu Meets US Defence Secretary Over Alleged Christian Genocide
Nigeria’s security crisis and allegations of targeted violence against Christians have become a major point of diplomatic contention between Abuja and Washington. National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu led a high-level Nigerian delegation to the United States and met with US Secretary of Defence, Pete Hegseth, to address these serious claims.
The meeting follows forceful statements from US President Donald Trump, who had previously threatened to deploy US troops to Nigeria to combat the “Islamic terrorists” he accused of committing genocide against Christians.
Table of Contents
Meeting Confirmed: US Defence Secretary Hosts NSA Ribadu
The US Posture: Addressing ‘Horrific Violence’
President Trump’s Escalating Threats and Designations
Nigeria’s Rebuttal: Rejecting Genocide Allegations
High-Powered Nigerian Delegation
1. Meeting Confirmed: US Defence Secretary Hosts NSA Ribadu
The high-stakes meeting between NSA Nuhu Ribadu and US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth took place on Thursday in Washington, D.C. Secretary Hegseth confirmed the visit on his official X account on Friday.
Hegseth stated that the core of the discussion was the “horrific violence against Christians in their country,” emphasizing that the Department of War (DOW), under President Trump’s leadership, is actively working with Nigeria to “end the persecution of Christians by jihadist terrorists.”
2. The US Posture: Addressing ‘Horrific Violence’
The direct language used by the US Defence Secretary reflects the increased pressure from the Trump administration regarding religious freedom in Nigeria. The US position is anchored on claims that the attacks are specifically targeted and driven by religious extremism.
This diplomatic push follows President Trump’s earlier warning that if the Nigerian government failed to halt what he termed the “genocide of Christians,” the United States would consider military action, including sending in troops “guns blazing” to “wipe out the Islamic terrorists.”
3. President Trump’s Escalating Threats and Designations
The recent meeting comes after President Trump’s formal designation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) based on the claims of systematic killings of Christians.
The CPC designation is typically reserved for countries where the government engages in or tolerates severe violations of religious freedom. This classification and the accompanying military threats underscore the severity of the US administration’s concerns and the diplomatic challenge facing the Nigerian government.
4. Nigeria’s Rebuttal: Rejecting Genocide Allegations
The Nigerian government, under the directive of President Bola Tinubu, organized the high-level delegation specifically to counter these allegations and assure the US of its commitment to security.
Nigeria has consistently rejected Trump’s claims, arguing that:
Non-Sectarian Targets: Terrorist attacks across the country target both Muslims and Christians.
No State Policy: There is no government policy or discernible pattern of persecution against any specific religious group.
The Nigerian stance is that the violence is driven by broader terrorist and criminal elements like bandits and kidnappers operating across the nation, an issue the government is actively fighting.
5. High-Powered Nigerian Delegation
To effectively present Nigeria’s security reality and lobby for continued cooperation rather than military intervention, NSA Ribadu was accompanied by a robust delegation of Nigeria’s top legal and defense officials, including:
Bianca Ojukwu: Minister of State for Foreign Affairs
Kayode Egbetokun: Inspector General of Police
Lateef Fagbemi: Attorney General of the Federation
Gen. Olufemi Oluyede: Chief of Defence Staff
The presence of the Attorney General and the Chief of Defence Staff alongside the NSA highlights the severity of the matter and the Nigerian government’s determination to address the allegations comprehensively.
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