In one of Washington’s strongest messages to Abuja in recent years, U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has delivered a direct warning to the Nigerian government, demanding “urgent and enduring action to stop violence against Christians.”
Hegseth issued the warning on November 20 during a high-level Pentagon meeting with Nigeria’s delegation led by National Security Advisor Mallam Nuhu Ribadu. According to information published on official U.S. government platforms, the talks focused heavily on Nigeria’s escalating religious violence and the surge in attacks on Christian communities.
A readout released by Sean Parnell, Assistant to the Secretary of War for Public Affairs, revealed that the U.S. expects Abuja to show clear, measurable progress. Parnell stated that Hegseth used the closed-door session to push Nigeria for “concrete steps” to halt killings, abductions and terror incidents that continue to devastate Christian populations, noting that Washington is elevating the matter within its Africa security agenda.
In unusually blunt diplomatic language, Hegseth stressed that Nigeria must “demonstrate commitment” to protecting Christians and warned that the U.S. expects immediate improvements. He added that America remains prepared to work “by, with, and through” Nigerian authorities to dismantle jihadist networks and violent extremist groups destabilising West Africa and threatening U.S. interests.
Security analysts say the meeting marks a significant shift in U.S.–Nigeria relations, signalling a move from broad cooperation to performance-based expectations—particularly on issues linked to religiously targeted violence.
Ribadu’s visit comes amid mounting global pressure on the Nigerian government from human-rights organisations, faith-based groups and influential U.S. lawmakers who accuse Nigeria of failing to adequately address years of attacks across the Middle Belt, Northwest and Northeast.
