U.S. diplomats and senators went to Benue State to get to the bottom of reports of Christian massacres there.
According to the Daily Trust, Governor Hyacinth Alia met with the group behind closed doors at Makurdi’s Government House on Saturday.
“The urgent need for sustainable peace, justice, and security for our people,” the governor wrote in a Facebook post following the meeting, adding, “Our discussions focused on the security and humanitarian challenges in Benue and the North Central region.”
On a subsequent visit to the Catholic Bishop’s Court, next to Government House, the team met behind closed doors with Bishop Wilfred Anagbe of the Makurdi Diocese and other clergy.
The delegation consisted of U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria Richard Mills, Rep. Riley M. Moore, Rep. Scott Franklin, Rep. Norma Torres, Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart, and Rep. Juan Ciscomani.
“It was an honor and deeply moving to meet with His Excellency Bishop Wilfred Anagbe, Bishop Isaac Dugu, and His Royal Highness James Ioruza, traditional ruler of the Tiv people,” Rep. Moore wrote in a post on X, confirming the meeting.
After attending events in Washington, D.C., the U.S. congressional delegation traveled to Abuja to meet with Nuhu Ribadu, Nigeria’s national security adviser.
According to Ribadu, the main points of the meeting were efforts to combat terrorism, ensure peace in the region, and fortify the security relationship between the United States and Nigeria.
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