A United States Congressman, Riley Moore, has confirmed meeting with a Nigerian government delegation led by National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu in Washington, D.C., amid growing diplomatic tensions over allegations of genocide against Christians in Nigeria.

The delegation—comprising the Attorney General, Lateef Fagbemi; Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Olufemi Oluyede; Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun; Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Ojukwu; and other senior security and diplomatic officials—is also expected to meet White House officials and members of Congress.

In a statement, Moore said discussions centred on the persecution of Christians, terrorist threats across Nigeria, and opportunities for enhanced cooperation. He warned that the United States “will not tolerate continued violence against Christians” and urged Nigeria to take “tangible steps” to protect vulnerable communities.

Moore said the U.S. was prepared to support Nigeria against Boko Haram, ISWAP and other militant groups but stressed that the Nigerian government must demonstrate stronger commitment to ending religiously-targeted violence.

The meeting came days after Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Yusuf Tuggar, rejected claims of genocide, insisting that recent killings were the work of criminals rather than targeted attacks. Tuggar said 177 Christians were killed and 102 churches attacked in the last five years—figures disputed by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), which maintains that coordinated assaults amount to genocide.

CAN President, Daniel Okoh, reiterated that Christian communities across the North and Middle Belt had suffered “repeated and targeted attacks,” urging both the federal government and international partners to act urgently.

However, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, warned that the genocide narrative was inflaming tensions and emboldening violent groups. He said insurgents and bandits attack both Christians and Muslims and that no credible global institution has classified the killings as genocide.

Akume stressed that Nigeria seeks cooperation—not foreign troops—and called for U.S. support in intelligence, technology and military equipment to combat extremist networks. He also linked the rise in insecurity to the fallout of the Libya and Egypt uprisings, which flooded the Sahel with illicit weapons.

Nigeria, he said, remains committed to protecting all citizens and strengthening strategic partnerships with the United States based on “mutual respect and reciprocity