U.S. Urges Nigeria to Protect Christians and Displaced Persons

Frank Garcia, from the U.S. Department of State, called on the Nigerian government to increase efforts to protect Christian communities facing attacks and to facilitate the safe return of internally displaced persons.

This appeal was made during a meeting in Abuja with senior Nigerian officials, including Sola Enikanolaiye, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs; General Olufemi Oluyede, Chief of Defence Staff; Lateef Fagbemi, Attorney General; Bosun Tijani, Communications Minister; and Nuhu Ribadu, National Security Adviser. Garcia's visit aimed to strengthen cooperation between the U.S. and Nigeria in areas such as security, justice, digital development, and trade.

He welcomed Nigeria's efforts through the U.S.-Nigeria Joint Work Group to address specific concerns, particularly regarding the protection of Christians and the allocation of resources for the safe return of displaced persons. The next meeting of this Joint Work Group is scheduled for August in Washington, D.C., where progress on cooperation will be reviewed.