Fresh details have emerged from the high-level meeting between United States Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, as Washington intensifies pressure on Abuja over escalating violence across the country.
Sources familiar with the engagement described the discussions as urgent and highly focused.
The talks centred on the spike in extremist attacks, widespread killings, and renewed threats against Christian communities in several parts of Nigeria.
Hegseth, who hosted Ribadu and senior Nigerian officials at the Pentagon on Thursday, expressed deep concern about what he called Nigeria’s slow and inconsistent response to recent outbreaks of violence.
Pentagon officials said the US Defence Secretary pushed for tougher, coordinated, and sustained action from the Federal Government.
He later posted a summary of the meeting on his X account, writing:
“Yesterday, I met with Nigeria’s National Security Advisor and his team to discuss the horrific violence against Christians in their country.
Under @POTUS leadership, DOW is working aggressively with Nigeria to end the persecution of Christians by jihadist terrorists.”
Pentagon authorities confirmed that Hegseth urged Nigeria to take “urgent and enduring action to stop the violence against Christians.”
He also emphasised Washington’s interest in deeper military and intelligence cooperation, saying the US seeks a stronger joint effort to “deter and degrade terrorists that threaten the United States.”
The meeting comes one month after US President Donald Trump warned that Christian communities in Nigeria were “facing an existential threat.”
The president cautioned that the US could deploy military assistance if Abuja failed to halt the killings.
Meanwhile, US Congressman Riley Moore said he held a separate meeting with the Nigerian delegation on Wednesday night.
Moore described the discussion as “frank, honest, and productive,” noting that it covered counterterrorism partnerships, intelligence sharing, security assistance, and support for vulnerable groups affected by extremist attacks.
The Nigerian delegation for the series of security consultations included top government and military figures such as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Bianca Ojukwu; Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun; Attorney General of the Federation Lateef Fagbemi (SAN); Chief of Defence Staff General Olufemi Olatunbosun Oluyede; and Chief of Defence Intelligence Lt. Gen. Emmanuel Undiendeye.
The high-level engagements underline growing US concern over Nigeria’s deteriorating security landscape and signal renewed pressure on Abuja to strengthen its internal response while deepening cooperation with international partners.
