Riley Moore, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, met with a 10-person high-level Nigerian delegation in Washington, D.C., on November 19. The delegation was led by National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu and included key figures such as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Bianca Ojukwu, Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun, Attorney General of the Federation Lateef Fagbemi, and Chief of Defence Staff Olufemi Oluyede.
Moore, known for his vocal stance on Christian persecution in Nigeria, hosted the meeting in which he described the engagement as “frank, honest, and productive.” According to him, the discussion centred on the ongoing persecution of Christians, terror threats in Nigeria, and potential areas for U.S.–Nigeria cooperation to curb violence.
During the meeting, Moore also reaffirmed that former President Donald Trump’s earlier warnings were not empty. He said Trump, who had previously threatened to enter Nigeria “guns-a-blazing,” “does not make idle threats.”
Moore added that Nigerian officials detailed to him the country’s security challenges, especially in relation to counterterrorism, protecting vulnerable communities and responding to widespread violence. He said the delegation expressed serious concern about religious persecution and expressed a desire for intensified collaboration with the United States.
He concluded by saying, “The United States stands ready to coordinate and cooperate with Nigeria,” adding that Trump had made it clear that his administration would “not tolerate continued violence against Christians or other forms of religious persecution.”
Despite these claims, the Nigerian government has consistently rejected allegations of targeted killings of Christians, describing them as politically motivated or exaggerated.
