U.S. Congressman Points to "Substantial Work" Ahead on Nigeria's Security Following Meeting with NSA

ABUJA, Nigeria — A United States Congressman has concluded high-level talks with Nigerian security officials, delivering a sobering assessment of the country's ongoing crisis and highlighting the issue as a priority for President Donald Trump.

In a statement following meetings with National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, U.S. Representative Riley Moore acknowledged progress but emphasized that "substantial work remains" to address persistent violence across Nigeria. The discussions, part of a U.S. Congressional delegation's fact-finding mission to Abuja, focused on the "widespread terrorism ravaging the North-East and the relentless killings occurring in the Middle Belt."

Moore directly tied the urgency of the situation to President Trump's agenda, stating that stopping the violence, particularly the targeting of Christian communities, is a "top concern" and matter on which Trump is "obsessed."

A Dual Focus: Terrorism and Sectarian Violence

The congressman's statement outlined a two-pronged challenge facing Nigeria. First is the continued threat from jihadist groups like Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in the North-East, which continue to wage a brutal insurgency.

The second, and a point of intense focus in Washington, is the complex violence in Nigeria's Middle Belt. This region has seen a devastating cycle of attacks and reprisals often framed along ethno-religious lines, with farming communities and Christian villages suffering repeated massacres. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) and several American lawmakers have repeatedly characterized the killings as a targeted campaign of religious persecution.

Recognition of Progress Amidst Ongoing Crisis

The statement struck a diplomatic balance between pressing for action and acknowledging Nigerian efforts. Moore explicitly thanked the Nigerian government and President Bola Tinubu for the recent, successful rescue of 100 abducted Catholic schoolchildren.

"All of Nigeria should be proud of this achievement," Moore said, framing the operation as clear evidence of the administration's "growing effectiveness in tackling insecurity."

This praise for a specific tactical success, however, was immediately followed by a call for broader strategic implementation. Moore expressed confidence that "full implementation" of the practical measures discussed during the meetings would significantly improve national security, dismantle terrorist networks, and "put an end to the targeted killing of Christians."

The U.S.-Nigeria Security Partnership Under Scrutiny

The visit by the congressional delegation underscores the complicated nature of the U.S.-Nigeria security relationship. While the U.S. provides significant military and intelligence assistance, it is coupled with growing political pressure from Washington over Nigeria's human rights record and its handling of sectarian violence.

The recent redesignation of Nigeria as a "Country of Particular Concern" by the U.S. State Department over religious freedom violations casts a shadow over the cooperation, adding a layer of conditionality to the partnership.

Congressman Moore's framing of the issue—as a shared priority where "substantial work remains"—reflects this dynamic. It signals continued American engagement but also an expectation for demonstrable results in protecting vulnerable populations and ending the cycles of violence that have claimed thousands of lives.

*Source: Based on reporting by Punch Newspapers and the official statement from Congressman Riley Moore.*