A high-level Nigerian government delegation led by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, met with United States Congressman Riley M. Moore in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, for critical discussions focused on persistent religious violence and Nigeria’s recent designation as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC).
The meeting, which Moore described as “frank, honest, and productive,” addressed the escalating terrorist threats and killings of Christians across Nigeria. The delegation included top security and diplomatic officials, including the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Ojukwu; the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun; and the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi.
The Nigerian team briefed the US lawmaker on the government’s challenges in counterterrorism operations against groups like Boko Haram and ISWAP, its security assistance needs, and ongoing efforts to protect vulnerable communities.
However, Moore restated the United States’ expectation for tangible progress, warning that continued violence against Christians would not be tolerated under President Donald Trump’s administration. He signaled a readiness for expanded cooperation but stressed that Trump’s warnings on religious persecution were “not idle threats.”
“I made it crystal clear that the United States must see tangible steps to ensure that Christians are not subject to violence, persecution, displacement, and death simply for believing in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” Moore stated after the meeting.
The meeting served as a prelude to a formal open hearing today by the US House of Representatives Subcommittee on Africa, convened to examine President Trump’s recent redesignation of Nigeria as a CPC. The hearing will feature testimonies from State Department officials and Nigerian religious leaders.
The CPC designation, announced by President Trump on October 31, 2025, cited alleged severe violations of religious freedom, claiming Christianity faces an “existential threat” in Nigeria. At the time, Trump threatened to halt all aid and prepare for potential military action if the killings continued, vowing a response that would be “fast, vicious, and sweet.”
In response to the original designation, President Bola Tinubu had described the claim as a misrepresentation of Nigeria’s religious reality, asserting it failed to reflect the country’s constitutional commitment to religious liberty.
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