Christian Genocide: US, Fagbemi in close-door meeting as the United States looks to help Nigeria in ending insurgency, terrorism
Since the United States’ designation of Nigeria as a ‘Country of Concern,’ talks have been held in various venues in a bid to foster bilateral military cooperation to lay to rest terrorism and insurgency in Nigeria.
As part of the move, delegates from the United States, who are on a fact-finding mission into killing and murder Nigerians by various terrorist groups, held a close-door meeting with the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), on Tuesday, 9th December, 2025.
It is reported that the US delegation had previously met with the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and also visited Benue State, where the state governor, Hyacinth Alia, various Catholic bishops, and the Tiv traditional ruler were all engaged and addressed.
The recent close-door meeting with AGF Fagbemi, which also featured one of the foremost US Congressman Riley Moore and US Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills Jr., was part of the US team’s mission and engagement in Nigeria.
Recalling that in October, the United States President Donald Trump declared Nigeria a “country of particular concern” in reaction to allegations of a Christian genocide.
As posted on his Truth Social, Mr. Trump and shared on the White House’s verified X handle, said: “Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter. I am hereby making Nigeria a ‘country of particular concern.’”
Addressing the press after the Tuesday meeting with the US delegates, AGF Fagbemi said that the discussion was targetted at curbing insecurity and providing the Federal Government’s view on terrorism and insurgency.
“This meeting is about the issue of terrorism going on in the country and to afford us further opportunity to explain our own side of the story.
“We have explained this to them when we entered Washington, and I am happy that they are also here to see things for themselves,” he said.
He added that the nation’s security challenges are not religiously induced, and that no particular set of people are targetted because of their faith.
“What is important is to appraise them that even though we have challenges in Nigeria, it is not religious.
“We have security challenges, and the government is doing its utmost to ensure that these challenges are addressed,” Fagbemi stated.
Fagbemi also revealed that the Department of Justice prosecutes suspects arraigned in connection with terrorism, insurgency and extremism, following due process.
“The one that concerns the Federal Ministry of Justice is about the prosecution of the people arrested in connection with extremism, and we are able to explain to them how far we have come and what we are also doing,” he said.
Providing an update on terrorism-related prosecutions, Fagbemi disclosed that between 2017 and 2025, the government secured 860 convictions and 891 discharges.
“For instance, today, as we speak, the terrorism trial is still going on. I have been there today and I have taken one or two of the cases, and I want to seize this opportunity to let you know that as of today, from 2017 to 2025, we have secured 860 convictions and 891 acquittals, that is, discharges,” he said.
The AGF stated that the figures show the government’s commitment and yielding to the rule of law.
“What this speaks to, particularly the issue of discharges of the defendants, is that we don’t just arrest people and clamp them into prison. We follow due process. They are profiled.
“Those who have nothing to do with it are let off the hook. Those we believe we have cases against, we take them to court. It is for the court to decide,” Fagbemi added.
He noted that the federal government rules on the provision of the rule of law, which make it to abide by court decisions, either conviction or acquittal.
“So whenever the court takes a decision, we comply with or abide by the decision, and that is why we have both convictions and acquittals,” he said.
AGF Fagbemi also revealed that the United States Congressman had met with various security and government agencies, as well as civil society and religious groups for engagement and encouragement amid this security challenge.
“We are not the only agency that they are visiting. They have visited a number of agencies. I am aware, for example, that they visited the Office of the National Security Adviser.
“They have visited the Office of the Chief of Defence Staff and a few other agencies. They have also met with some civil society organisations and religious forces,” he said.
He then implored the general public and Nigerian populace against exaggerating the country’s security situation, noting the the killings in the country are not overly aimed at a specific group for their faith, rather it is aimed at destabilising the country and making it ungovernable.
“I want to tell you that things are not as heinous as people are portraying.
“I can assure you of that. We have problems in Nigeria. It is not a problem of religion,” the Attorney-General stated.
As it stands, the governments of Nigeria and the United States of America are looking to jointly combat extremism, terrorism and insurrection which have wiped the largest black nation on earth of her peace and tranquility.
The world is waiting to see where it leads and ends.
