A United States Congressional delegation has arrived in Abuja for high-level security talks with Nigeria’s National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, as both countries deepen diplomatic engagement amid growing debate in Washington over allegations of religious persecution in Nigeria.
Mr Ribadu confirmed the visit in a statement released on Sunday, explaining that he received the lawmakers who were in the country on a “fact-finding mission,” following earlier discussions in Washington, D.C., focused on shared security priorities.
The visiting team included Representatives Mario Díaz-Balart, Norma Torres, Scott Franklin, Juan Ciscomani, and Riley Moore. The US Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills, also joined the meeting an, indication, Mr Ribadu said, of the importance both governments attach to their security partnership.
According to the NSA, the talks centred on counter-terrorism collaboration, regional peace efforts, and ways to further strengthen the Nigeria–US strategic relationship. He expressed optimism that the engagement would “deepen trust, collaboration, and our shared commitment to peace and security.”
The latest visit comes just weeks after Mr Ribadu led a high-powered Nigerian delegation to Washington amid renewed scrutiny from American lawmakers pushing to classify Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) over alleged Christian persecution. During that trip, the team met senior US government officials, including the Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth.
Mr Hegseth said he raised concerns about “horrific violence against Christians” and assured that the US was working “aggressively with Nigeria to end the persecution of Christians by jihadist terrorists.” The delegation also held talks with Rep. Riley Moore, one of the strongest advocates of the controversial “Christian genocide” accusation, who described the discussions as “frank, honest, and productive.”
In Washington, however, the debate over the claims has become deeply polarised. Several US politicians and advocacy groups, including Mike Arnold, Senator Ted Cruz, and various Christian organisations, have insisted that Islamist militants are systematically targeting Christians in Nigeria. Senator Cruz has even sponsored a bill proposing punitive measures against Nigerian officials, while a coalition of Christian leaders submitted a petition urging Nigeria’s designation as a CPC.
But other lawmakers and experts have pushed back, warning that the genocide narrative oversimplifies Nigeria’s complex security environment. A congressional hearing last week revealed sharp partisan divisions, with some legislators insisting on the “Christian genocide” framing and others arguing that the violence is driven primarily by criminal gangs and extremist groups that attack both Christians and Muslims alike.
Investigations by security analysts, major news outlets, and fact-checking organisations including a recent BBC analysis, have questioned the accuracy of many of the statistics circulating in Washington. Researchers say the figures are often unverifiable and distort the broader context of Nigeria’s insecurity.
For its part, the Nigerian government has consistently rejected the genocide allegation, insisting it does not reflect the realities on the ground. Officials maintain that terrorists target anyone opposed to their ideology, regardless of religious identity, and that portraying the conflict as faith-based undermines efforts to address the multifaceted security threats across the country.
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