After the first meeting of the US Nigeria Working Group, US Representative Riley M. Moore declared that Nigeria has a once-in-a-lifetime chance to stop the persecution of Christians in the northern states and the Middle Belt.
Rep. Moore, who is part of the working group, said that Nigerians are taking the situation seriously and are working hard to solve security problems, according to Sunday Vanguard.
The U.S. representative mentioned this on his X handle. He also claimed that both countries promised to work together to make sure that all Nigerians can live and practice their faith without fear of death or persecution.
On January 22, 2026, representatives from both countries met in Abuja to talk about Nigeria’s status as a Country of Particular Concern.
The Nigerian delegation was led by National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu and included people from ten ministries and agencies. The U.S. mission was chaired by Under Secretary of State Allison Hooker and included eight federal agencies.
Rep. Moore said at the summit, “Creating the US-Nigeria Working Group to improve coordination and cooperation between our two countries is a positive and necessary step to work together to address Nigeria’s security problems, uphold our shared values of religious freedom, and stop the brutal persecution of our Christian brothers and sisters by radical Islamic terrorists.
“Now is Nigeria’s only chance to improve its relationship with the US as we work together to fight violent terrorism in the northern states and Middle Belt, stop the persecution of Christians, and deal with bigger economic and security problems.
“Now is a real chance for Nigeria to become a stronger stabilizing force in the region.”
At the end of the first meeting, a joint statement said that strategic talks focused on a lot of topics where US-Nigeria cooperation might make the country safer and more religiously free.
The statement said that the inaugural meeting of the US Nigeria Working Group took place in Abuja on Thursday, January 22, 2026, between the governments of the United States and the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The International Religious Freedom Act named Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern,” which led to the formation of this Working Group. The Working Group’s goals are to lower violence against vulnerable groups in Nigeria, especially Christians, and to make it possible for all Nigerians to freely practice their faith without being bothered by terrorists, separatists, bandits, criminal militias, or anyone else who wants to hurt civilians.
Strategic talks covered a lot of ground, including problems and situations where US-Nigerian cooperation will improve religious freedom and make the whole country safer. Both sides agreed that their countries have had a long relationship based on shared values like pluralism, respect for the rule of law, and sovereignty. The US delegation was happy to hear about how Nigeria was reallocating resources to deal with insecurity, especially in the North Central areas.
Both governments reaffirmed their strong commitment to upholding the principles of religious freedom and agreed on the need for ongoing joint efforts to promote and protect everyone’s rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and freedom of religion or belief, as set out in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
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