Nigerian officials are assembly with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau this week amid growing focus from the Trump administration on Christians in Nigeria and as President Donald Trump has floated potential US military action in the nation.
Trump mentioned earlier this month he can be designating Nigeria as a rustic of explicit concern over circumstances for Christians, saying Christianity is “facing an existential threat” and threatening US military action in consequence.
Experts and analysts have cautioned that the scenario is far more nuanced, as each Christians and Muslims in Nigeria have come beneath assault by Islamic extremists. The Nigerian authorities has rejected claims it isn’t doing sufficient to guard Christians, and Nigerian presidential spokesperson informed NCS the federal government was “shocked” that Trump was “mulling an invasion of our country.”
Nigerian National Security Adviser Mallam Nuhu Ribadu is main the delegation in Washington this week, which can also be assembly with members of Congress.
A Pentagon official confirmed Hegseth was assembly with Ribadu on Thursday. Landau will meet with the delegation on Friday, a State Department spokesperson informed NCS.
It’s unclear what precisely Hegseth’s assembly will give attention to, although sources informed NCS there was a willingness from Nigeria to work with the US military extra intently. Hegseth additionally spoke with the pinnacle of US Africa Command, Gen. Dagvin Anderson, on Wednesday, a US official mentioned, although it was additionally unclear if that dialog was immediately associated to Hegseth’s assembly on Thursday.
A senior State Department official described the Nigerian delegation as “very high level.”
“We’re committed to having those frank conversations with Nigerian officials,” the official mentioned, noting that labeling Nigeria as a rustic of explicit concern has “gotten the Nigerian officials’ attention.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has spoken along with his counterparts in Nigeria, the senior State Department official mentioned, and there are additionally plans for journeys to Nigeria.
“We’re happy to partner with them. We’re not saying good luck. We’re saying, we want to help you make your country safer for religious communities of all stripes, not just Christians, not just Muslims, whoever it may be,” the official mentioned.
And whereas Nigeria has lengthy had a military-level relationship with the US, some sources indicated Trump’s social media publish saying he would ship the US “guns-a-blazing” into the West African nation to guard Christians has led to new urgency to the connection.
“There is a willingness to work with the US from the Nigerians,” a supply aware of the scenario informed NCS, “and US Africa Command will clearly and happily work as a partner with whatever African nation is willing to work with the US.”
As the go to to Washington has been underway by the Nigerian officials this week, Mike Waltz, US ambassador to the United Nations, and rapper Nicki Minaj spoke in regards to the “deadly threats faced by thousands of Christians in Nigeria,” throughout a UN event Wednesday.
And on Thursday, the House Foreign Affairs Africa Subcommittee held a listening to on Nigeria with State Department officials relating to the labeling of Nigeria as a rustic of explicit concern.