Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Henry Owen
Abuja, Nigeria — Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has declared that the federal government regards violence framed along religious lines as a direct assault on the sovereignty of the Nigerian state, as the country intensifies diplomatic and security cooperation with the United States aimed at tackling extremist threats and protecting all faith communities. Ribadu made the remarks at the conclusion of the inaugural session of the U.S.–Nigeria Joint Working Group on Religious Freedom and Security, held in Abuja this week, where senior officials reviewed progress on joint efforts to bolster civilian protection and deepen operational collaboration.
Nigeria’s diverse religious landscape — home to Muslim, Christian and other faith communities — has been at the centre of both national policy and international scrutiny amid recurring attacks by armed groups. In his address, Ribadu stressed that the government’s commitment to safeguarding the rights and security of Christians, Muslims and adherents of other beliefs is “non-negotiable,” and that acts of violence exploiting religious identity undermine national unity and will be treated with the full weight of state response.
“Nigeria is a deeply plural society, and the protection of all citizens — Christians, Muslims and those of other beliefs — is non-negotiable,” Ribadu said, underscoring that religiously motivated violence represents an affront to the nation itself rather than isolated communal clashes.
The Joint Working Group, established following the United States’ designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern under the International Religious Freedom Act, brought together senior representatives from both governments to prioritize actionable strategies to deterrence, investigation, accountability and protection of vulnerable communities amid persistent insecurity.
The U.S. delegation was led by Allison Hooker, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, and included high-level officials across eight federal agencies. In her remarks, Hooker acknowledged shared interests in strengthening religious freedom and civilian protection, emphasising that cooperative efforts extend beyond rhetoric to tangible operational support.
The partnership between the two nations has advanced to include not only policy dialogue but also concrete security assistance. Ribadu and Nigerian officials commended recent U.S. commitments to deliver military hardware, including drones, helicopters, platforms, spare parts and support systems procured over the past five years, aiming to enhance Nigeria’s counter-terrorism capabilities and operational reach.
Ribadu further noted that Nigerian-U.S. security cooperation has moved “from talks to action,” resulting in the disruption of terrorist networks and criminal groups that have terrorised communities across the north and centre of the country. He highlighted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had authorised expanded security deployments and intelligence coordination to strengthen early-warning systems, rapid response mechanisms, and a nationwide database on casualties to support evidence-based decision-making.
While the joint engagement elevates the discourse around religious freedom and civilian protection, both parties agreed that overall security challenges in Nigeria — involving banditry, insurgency and criminal violence — require sustained cooperation across military, law enforcement, legal and humanitarian domains. The Working Group underscored the need to hold perpetrators of violent attacks accountable through improved investigations and prosecutions, reinforcing that justice and security go hand-in-hand.
Nigeria’s response followed intensified international attention to attacks on religious communities, particularly in the North-Central states, where incidents of kidnappings and mass abductions have drawn concern from both local and foreign actors. U.S. officials at the meeting called on Nigerian authorities to strengthen protection for Christian communities, noting progress in recent joint operations, while also recognising the broader spectrum of faith-based and civilian victims affected by extremist and criminal violence.
Critics of the U.S. designation and subsequent diplomatic engagement have argued that framing Nigeria’s complex humanitarian and security crisis primarily in terms of religious persecution risks oversimplifying the multifaceted drivers of violence, which include communal conflict, resource competition, poverty, governance deficits and transnational insurgency. Yet, the federal government has maintained that acknowledging religious dimensions of violence does not negate other factors but affirms its constitutional duty to protect all citizens equally.
The Joint Working Group announced that future sessions would continue in the United States, with both governments committed to institutionalising mechanisms that translate partnership into measurable improvements in civilian protection, informed by shared values of pluralism, respect for the rule of law and national sovereignty.
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