Following the kidnapping of 177 worshippers in Kaduna State, the United States has expressed grave concerns about Nigeria’s security challenges and capacity to protect Christian communities. On Thursday, bandits were seen moving freely through forest corridors with their captives, days after storming churches without encountering any opposition.
Over 177 attendees were taken from three churches in the Kurmin Wali hamlet in Kaduna State’s Kajuru Local Government Area on Sunday by gunmen; 11 of them were able to flee, while 166 remain in captivity.
A high-level delegation of US officials arrived in Nigeria on Thursday as part of a week-long diplomatic mission to assess counterterrorism initiatives and safeguard vulnerable religious communities in Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. This coincided with the US warning.
The meeting is part of the United States-Nigeria Joint Working Group and was co-chaired by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and the US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Allison Hooker.
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It meeting comes amid of increased diplomatic tensions following the redesignation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern by US President Donald Trump due to claimed violations of religious freedom.
However, the Federal Government has always denied allegations of systematic persecution of Christians, arguing that people of all religious affiliations are impacted by instability.
According to Hooker, recent attacks demonstrated that Christian communities in some areas of northern Nigeria were still under danger despite claimed security operations.
Hooker said, “Today, we are here to discuss how we can work together to deter violence against Christian communities; prioritising countering terrorism and insecurity; investigating attacks and holding perpetrators accountable; and reducing the number of killings, forced displacements, and abductions of Christians, particularly in the North Central States.
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The abductors have reportedly demanded the return of 17 motorcycles, valued at N28.9m, which they claim were seized during recent military operations, as a condition for the release of the victims.
Meanwhile, the abductors have reportedly demanded the return of 17 motorcycles, valued at N28.9m, which they claim were seized during recent military operations, as a condition for the release of the victims.
In response, National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, acknowledged the gravity of the situation, revealing that the Federal Government had intensified joint military effort, intelligence coordination and investigations into the ongoing attacks on religious communities.
Ribadu declared that acts of violence motivated by religion were intolerable and would be viewed as an assault on the Nigerian government, promising to seek down and prosecute those responsible.
According to Ribadu, President has ordered increased security deployments, improved intelligence cooperation, and more robust investigations into attacks on religious groups, guaranteeing that those responsible will be apprehended and brought to justice.
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 those communities experiencing recurrent attacks on civilians and religious groups.
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“These directives have been matched with concrete action. Nigeria is expanding early-warning and rapid-response mechanisms, 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 strengthening evidence-based decision-making, accountability, and the effectiveness of security responses. Parallel to this, 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.”
Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation, told reporters following the meeting that the engagement represented persistent attempts to strengthen security alliances and produce tangible outcomes.
He pointed out that the two nations’ cooperation had resulted in operational improvements on the ground.
Idris also emphasised the US’s preparedness to supply excess defence equipment and its dedication to delivering exceptional military equipment acquired over the previous five years, including as drones, helicopters, and support systems.
Additionally, he stated that the Federal Government was strengthening early-warning systems and developing a national database to generate accurate figures on deaths and casualties linked to violence.
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