A United States lawmaker, Mr Riley Moore, has said that the United States and Nigeria are close to reaching a strategic security agreement aimed at tackling terrorism and related violence in Nigeria.

Moore disclosed this in a post on his X (formerly Twitter) handle on Saturday, following recent engagements with Nigerian authorities on the country’s security challenges.

The congressman was part of a U.S. congressional delegation that recently concluded a fact-finding mission to Nigeria to assess allegations of genocide and rising insecurity.

The delegation, comprising five members of the U.S. Congress, arrived in Nigeria earlier in the week and visited several locations, including internally displaced persons’ camps, communities affected by terrorist attacks, Christian communities and traditional institutions, particularly in Benue State.

They also held meetings with Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, and the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Lateef Fagbemi.

Moore said the delegation travelled through parts of Benue State in armoured vehicles due to prevailing security concerns and held discussions with Catholic and Protestant leaders, bishops and community heads to obtain what he described as “ground truth” on the situation.

He added that U.S. President Donald Trump had mandated him and the Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, Mr Tom Cole, to compile a comprehensive report on the findings for submission to the White House.

According to Moore, the proposed strategic framework under discussion focuses on combating extremist groups operating in Nigeria’s North-East, including Boko Haram and Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)-linked factions.
He said the talks also addressed the persistent violence in the Middle Belt region.

Moore described the Middle Belt crisis as a genocide against Christians by radical Fulani elements, a claim which the Federal Government of Nigeria has consistently rejected, maintaining that insecurity in the country is criminal in nature and not driven by religion.

“We did have positive conversations with the Nigerian government, and I believe we are close to a strategic security framework to address both the ISIS and Boko Haram threat in the North-East, as well as the genocide against Christians by the radical Fulani Muslims in the Middle Belt,” Moore said.

He added that the report to be presented to President Trump would outline possible pathways for collaboration with the Nigerian government to address the security challenges.

The congressman, however, did not give a timeline for the finalisation of the framework or specify the extent of U.S. involvement.

It will be recalled that in October, the U.S. administration designated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” over alleged persecution of Christians, a decision the Federal Government strongly disputed.