Top US defence officials recently held a closed-door meeting with Nigeria’s national security adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, just days after President Donald Trump warned that Washington might intervene militarily over what he described as attacks on Christians in Nigeria. The meeting, first reported by ABC News, was not listed on public schedules and was off-limits to the press.
The encounter comes amid heightened rhetoric in Washington, where conservative lawmakers and commentators have amplified claims of targeted anti-Christian violence. Earlier this month, Trump took to social media to threaten that the US could halt aid and “intervene militarily, guns-a-blazing,” if Nigeria did not curb the violence.
Trump also instructed the Pentagon — which he has taken to calling the “Department of War” — to prepare for possible rapid-strike missions. In response, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth publicly affirmed that preparations were underway. The stance has drawn support from some Republican lawmakers, including Senator Ted Cruz and Congressman Riley Moore, who say the US expects “tangible steps” to protect Christians from violence and persecution.
But independent monitors caution that the reality is far more complex. Data from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project shows that tens of thousands of Nigerians — both Christians and Muslims — have died in recent years due to insurgencies, banditry, farmer–herder clashes, and separatist conflicts. Experts, including Nnamdi Obasi of the International Crisis Group, say claims of widespread religious persecution exaggerate the situation, noting that most communities see Christians and Muslims coexisting peacefully.
Nigeria has also rejected its placement on a US religious-freedom blacklist. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu called the label “misinformation” and “faulty data,” arguing it does not reflect the country’s realities.
Even if Washington pursued military action, analysts warn there would be serious operational challenges. The US has no ground troops in Nigeria, and drone operations would be complicated after the 2023 coup in neighbouring Niger removed access to key bases. Terrain, security risks, and political sensitivities further complicate any potential intervention.
Ribadu’s quiet Pentagon visit forms part of Nigeria’s broader diplomatic effort to counter the narrative in Washington. Officials emphasise that the violence in Nigeria is largely driven by armed groups, economic pressures, and localised disputes rather than religious persecution. Both sides appear keen to manage tensions discreetly and prevent public statements from overshadowing diplomacy.
US aid and security assistance remain crucial, and suspending it could undermine humanitarian and anti-extremism efforts. Observers suggest that Trump’s strong language may be aimed more at energising his political base than signalling imminent military action.
For now, relations between Abuja and Washington remain delicate: US officials pressing loudly, Nigerian authorities pushing back firmly, and both sides seeking to avoid a rupture as political pressure builds.