US Defence Secretary Hosts Ribadu As Nigeria Faces Mounting Accusations Of Christian Persecution
Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, has met with U.S. Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth in Washington as controversy intensifies over accusations that Christians are being targeted and killed across the country.
Hegseth disclosed the meeting on his X account, explaining that Ribadu and senior Nigerian officials were at the Pentagon on Thursday to address concerns about violence linked to extremist groups. His post stated that he met Ribadu “to discuss the horrific violence against Christians in their country,” adding that, under President Trump, the Department of War is working closely with Nigeria to confront jihadist groups accused of carrying out the attacks. Photos of both men accompanied the message.
The engagement came shortly after Trump issued a strong warning in which he accused Islamic extremists of orchestrating systematic attacks on Christians in Nigeria. He vowed to authorise the deployment of American troops “guns blazing” to “wipe out the Islamic terrorists” if the killings were not stopped.
In reaction to the escalating claims and threats, President Bola Tinubu instructed Ribadu to lead a high-powered delegation to the United States. Those on the trip included Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Bianca Ojukwu, Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun, Attorney General of the Federation Lateef Fagbemi, and Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Olufemi Oluyede.
Reports also noted that Trump recently placed Nigeria on a list of “Countries of Particular Concern,” claiming Christians were facing deliberate extermination. He warned that, unless Abuja halted what he described as “genocide,” the U.S. would intervene militarily.
The Nigerian government has firmly dismissed Trump’s allegations, maintaining that terrorist attacks affect citizens of all faiths and that there is no state-backed pattern of persecution. Officials argue that the country’s security challenges are driven by criminality and extremism rather than religious policies. The dispute surfaces amid ongoing insecurity across several regions, where abductions and deadly attacks remain widespread.
