After Kaduna Abduction, US Tasks Nigeria To Step Up Protection Of Christians
- The United States has urged Nigeria to intensify efforts to protect Christian communities following recent kidnappings and attacks
- US Under Secretary Allison Hooker said while some progress has been made, recent incidents in Kaduna and other areas show more must be done
- Nigeria’s NSA, Nuhu Ribadu, said the government is strengthening security operations, investigations, and early-warning systems to protect all citizens
Legit.ng's Muslim Muhammad Yusuf is a 2025 Wole Soyinka Award-winning journalist with over 8 years of experience in investigative reporting, human rights, politics, governance and accountability in Nigeria.
The United States has urged the Nigerian government to intensify efforts to protect Christian communities across the country following renewed reports of kidnappings and violent attacks.
US Under Secretary for Political Affairs, Allison Hooker, made the call on Thursday during a high-level US–Nigeria Working Group meeting held in Abuja.
Source: UGC
She said that although some progress had been recorded in recent months, recent incidents showed that Nigeria must do more to guarantee the safety of Christians.
According to Hooker, the meeting focused on strengthening cooperation to deter violence against Christian communities, improve counterterrorism operations, and ensure accountability for perpetrators of attacks.
“Today, we are here to discuss how we can work together to deter violence against Christian communities, prioritising counterterrorism and insecurity; investigating attacks and holding perpetrators accountable; and reducing the number of killings, forced displacements, and abductions of Christians, particularly in the North-Central states,” Hooker said.
US raises concern over Kaduna abductions
Hooker acknowledged recent efforts by Nigerian authorities, noting that the government had secured the release of 38 Christians abducted from a church in Kwara State, as well as another 265 abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic School.
According to Channels Television, she described the developments as real progress and attributed them to sustained engagement and partnership between the United States and Nigeria.
“With respect to the protection of Christians, the Nigerian government recently secured the release of 38 Christians abducted from a church in Kwara State, and another 265 abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic School. This real progress is a direct result of our engagement with the Nigerian government and our partnership,” she said.
However, the US official expressed serious concern over fresh reports that more than 170 Christians were kidnapped in Kaduna State on January 18.
“We are, however, concerned about recent reports that gunmen kidnapped more than 170 Christians in Kaduna State on January 18. We want to see an end to this type of violence. And we are here to work with the Nigerian government to protect Christians and their right to practise their faith freely and safely,” Hooker stated.
She also called on the Nigerian government to work closely with local authorities and non-governmental organisations to secure the release of abducted victims and provide support to affected families.
“We call for the government to work with the local authorities to find and secure the release of the innocent victims and to work with NGOs to meet the victims’ families’ needs in the meantime,” she added.
Religious freedom key to deeper US–Nigeria cooperation
Hooker further said that advancing religious freedom and improving security would deepen US–Nigeria relations in several critical areas, including trade, economic cooperation, healthcare responses, and counterterrorism efforts.
She added that stronger security would also support efforts to return internally displaced persons to their communities, especially in violence-affected regions.
According to her, advancing religious freedom and security will help both countries enhance the reciprocal benefits of their partnership, including solidifying trade and economic deals, degrading terrorist groups, and strengthening health responses.
“We also hope to identify ways to return internally displaced persons to the communities from which they were expelled in the North-Central states, interdict weapons and funding going to terrorist groups, expand investigations, and ensure the prosecution of individuals and groups committing atrocities,” Hooker said.
The high-level meeting in Abuja was attended by senior officials from both the United States and the Nigerian government.
Ribadu: Protection of all citizens is non-negotiable
Responding, Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, said the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had taken deliberate and decisive steps to confront insecurity through intensified joint operations and sustained deployment of security forces to priority locations.
Ribadu said these measures were particularly focused on communities experiencing recurrent attacks on civilians and religious groups.
“These directives have been matched with concrete action. Nigeria is expanding early-warning and rapid-response mechanisms, developing a national database to serve as a single, authoritative source of accurate and verifiable data on deaths and casualties arising from violence,” Ribadu said.
He explained that the initiative would strengthen evidence-based decision-making, accountability, and the overall effectiveness of security responses.
Source: UGC
Investigations, prosecutions intensified
Ribadu also disclosed that investigations and prosecutions related to attacks on religious communities had been intensified to ensure that violence is met not only with force but also with justice and accountability.
“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,” he said.
He added that Nigeria’s response integrates security operations, rule of law, humanitarian safeguards, and strategic communication to ensure that operational successes translate into public confidence and strengthened social cohesion.
NSA says US–Nigeria partnership is working
While noting that the partnership between Nigeria and the United States is working, Ribadu said progress should be assessed based on long-term trends and institutional capacity, rather than isolated incidents in a complex security environment.
He said Nigeria believes this approach provides the most responsible and credible basis for partnership and evaluation.
Ribadu further stated that Nigeria’s relationship with the United States extends beyond security cooperation and includes democratic resilience, respect for the rule of law, regional stability in West Africa, and joint efforts to prevent extremist and malign actors from exploiting governance gaps and social divisions.
Kaduna gov visits community
Legit.ng earlier reported that Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna state has visited Kurmin Wali village in Kajuru Local Government Area, where over 100 worshippers were reportedly abducted by gunmen, pledging that his administration will work with security agencies to ensure the safe return of all those taken.
The governor made the pledge on Wednesday when he led a high-powered delegation of senior government officials and heads of security agencies to the community to commiserate with residents following the attack.
Source: Legit.ng
