The United States has called on the Nigerian government to take firmer and more decisive steps to protect Christian communities across the country, following the abduction of more than 170 worshippers in Kaduna State.
The mass abduction, which occurred during church services, reignited concerns about religiously motivated violence in Nigeria. While the Kaduna State Government and the Nigeria Police Force initially denied the incident on Monday, the police later reversed their position on Wednesday, confirming that the worshippers were indeed taken by armed assailants.
Security sources disclosed that the abductors have demanded the return of 17 motorcycles, valued at about ₦28.9 million, which they claimed were seized during recent military operations, as a condition for releasing the victims.
Speaking at a high-level U.S.–Nigeria Working Group meeting in Abuja on Thursday, the U.S. Under Secretary for Political Affairs, Allison Hooker, said that although Nigeria had recorded some progress in tackling insecurity in recent months, the latest attack showed that more needed to be done.
Hooker noted that, while there have been improvements, recent attacks demonstrate that Nigeria must take stronger action to ensure the safety of Christian communities and protect 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.
“On 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.
“However, we are concerned about recent reports that gunmen kidnapped more than 170 Christians in Kaduna State on January 18. The Government of Nigeria must do more to protect Christians and their right to practise their faith freely and safely.”
Hooker added that advancing religious freedom and security would deepen U.S.–Nigeria relations in other areas, including trade, economic cooperation, health responses and the fight against terrorism, while also supporting the return of internally displaced persons to their communities.
She said, “Advancing religious freedom and security will help the United States and Nigeria enhance the reciprocal benefits of our relationship: solidifying trade and economic deals, degrading terrorist groups that threaten our interests, and strengthening health responses, among many other areas. We 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.”
The National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, in his response, 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.
Ribadu said, “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.
“Our response, therefore, integrates security operations, the rule of law, humanitarian safeguards and strategic communication, ensuring that operational successes translate into public confidence and strengthened social cohesion.”
Ribadu said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had authorised expanded security deployments, enhanced intelligence coordination and stronger investigations into attacks on religious communities, assuring that perpetrators would be tracked and prosecuted.
He said, “At the national level, and under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nigeria has taken deliberate and decisive steps to confront insecurity. The President has formally declared national security emergencies in vulnerable and high-risk areas, authorised intensified joint operations, and directed the sustained deployment of security forces to priority locations, particularly 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 and developing a national database to serve as a single, authoritative source of accurate and verifiable data on deaths and casualties arising from violence.
“This effort will strengthen evidence-based decision-making, accountability and the effectiveness of security responses. In parallel, investigations and prosecutions related to attacks on religious communities have been intensified to ensure that violence is met not only with force, but with justice and accountability.”