By Olayiwola Mercy
The National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, welcomed a U.S. congressional delegation to Abuja on Sunday, December 7, 2025, for a high‑level security dialogue that aimed to tighten the already close partnership between Nigeria and the United States.
The visiting team was led by Rep. Mario Díaz‑Balart and included Reps. Norma Torres, Scott Franklin, Juan Ciscomani and Riley M. Moore, with U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria Richard Mills also in attendance.
Talks centered on three core pillars: boosting counter‑terrorism cooperation (intelligence sharing, joint ops, capacity‑building for Boko Haram and ISWAP), reinforcing regional stability—especially around the Lake Chad basin—and expanding the strategic security partnership that underpins both nations’ interests in West Africa .
This meeting follows a series of earlier engagements, including a November 20 Pentagon sit‑down between Ribadu and U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, and the November 27 approval by President Bola Tinubu of a Nigerian team for the U.S.–Nigeria Joint Working Group, a key step toward deeper collaboration.
The talks come amid heightened diplomatic tension after President Donald Trump redesignated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” over alleged religious‑freedom violations—a label Nigeria has firmly rejected, insisting that insecurity affects all faiths and that the accusations are misplaced.
Ribadu summed up the mood with optimism, saying the engagement will “deepen trust, collaboration, and shared commitment to peace and security,” underscoring how this visit signals a renewed, constructive partnership as both countries navigate the complex security landscape of the region.
