The United States has urged the Nigerian government to take stronger and more decisive action to protect Christian communities.
This followed the abduction of more than 170 worshippers in Kaduna State, an incident that has once again heightened concerns over religiously motivated violence in Nigeria.
The Kaduna State Government and the police initially denied the abduction on Monday, but the police later reversed their position on Wednesday, confirming that the worshippers were indeed taken.
Speaking during a high-level U.S.–Nigeria Working Group meeting in Abuja on Thursday, U.S. Under Secretary for Political Affairs, Allison Hooker, said that while some progress had been made in recent months, recent attacks showed that Nigeria must do more to guarantee the safety of Christians and their right to practise their faith freely.
Hooker said, “Today, we are here to discuss how we can work together to deter violence against Christian communities; prioritise counterterrorism and insecurity; investigate attacks and hold perpetrators accountable; and reduce the number of killings, forced displacements and abductions of Christians, particularly in the North-Central states.
In response, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, acknowledged the gravity of the security challenges and said the government was intensifying military and law enforcement operations in affected areas.
He reiterated that attacks framed along religious lines were unacceptable and would be met with force and justice.
“Nigeria is a deeply plural society, and the protection of all citizens—Christians, Muslims and those of other beliefs—is non-negotiable. Violence framed along religious lines is treated as an attack on the Nigerian state itself.
