Kaduna church abductions: US tells Nigeria to intensify protection of Christian communities

Kaduna map

The United States has called on the Nigerian government to take stronger and more decisive action to protect Christian communities.

Allison Hooker, the US under secretary for political affairs, spoke during a high-level US–Nigeria working group meeting in Abuja on Thursday.

Hooker said the meeting was to discuss how both countries can work together to deter violence against Christian communities, prioritise counterterrorism and insecurity, investigate attacks and hold perpetrators accountable, and reduce the number of killings, forced displacements and abductions of Christians, particularly in the north-central states.

She said that while some progress had been made in recent months, recent attacks showed that Nigeria must do more to guarantee the safety of Christians and their right to practise their faith freely.

“On the protection of Christians, the Nigerian government recently secured the release of 38 Christians abducted from a church in Kwara state, and another 265 abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic School. This real progress is a direct result of our engagement with the Nigerian government,” Punch quoted Hooker as saying.

“However, we are concerned about recent reports that gunmen kidnapped more than 170 Christians in Kaduna State on January 18. The Government of Nigeria must do more to protect Christians and their right to practise their faith freely and safely.”

Hooker said advancing religious freedom and security would deepen US–Nigeria relations in other areas, including trade, economic cooperation, health response and the fight against terrorism.

She said the US would also support the return of internally displaced persons to their communities.

“Advancing religious freedom and security will help the United States and Nigeria enhance the reciprocal benefits of our relationship: solidifying trade and economic deals, degrading terrorist groups that threaten our interests, and strengthening health responses, among many other areas,” she said.