United States Congressman, Rep Riley Moore, has said the US will ensure that all Nigerians live and practise their faith without fear of persecution and death.
Moore said this in a post on his verified X handle on Saturday, reacting to the first session of the US–Nigeria Joint Working Group on security and religious freedom, which took place in Abuja today. The group brings together senior officials from both countries to improve coordination on counter-terrorism, intelligence sharing, and civilian protection.
He wrote:
“Establishing the U.S.–Nigeria Working Group to increase coordination and cooperation between our two counties is an encouraging and necessary step to jointly combatting the security challenges facing Nigeria, promoting our nations’ shared values of religious freedom, and ending the brutal persecution of our brothers and sisters in Christ by radical Islamic terrorists.
Nigeria has a once in a lifetime chance to strengthen its relationship with the US as we work cooperatively to counter violent terrorism throughout the northern states and middle belt, end the persecution of Christians, and address the broader economic and security challenges the nation faces. Nigeria now also has a real opportunity to increase its capacity to be a stabilizing force in the region.
This agreement shows the Nigerians are continuing to take the situation seriously and are working to address the security conditions in good faith. Our nations have pledged to work together to ensure all Nigerians can live and practice their faith without fear of persecution and death.
While there is much still to be done, we continue to see positive developments. I’m grateful to the government of Nigeria for coming to the table and partnering with the US to address these challenges.”
On its part, Nigeria’s National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu said the government treats any violence framed along religious lines as an attack on the Nigerian state, stressing that protection of citizens of all faiths is a priority.
The launch of the working group marks a step toward sustained US–Nigeria collaboration on security and religious freedom, and it will meet regularly to review progress on counter-terrorism efforts and civilian protection in the North and Middle Belt regions.
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