In a significant diplomatic and humanitarian engagement, a delegation from the United States visited Benue State on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, to meet with prominent Christian clerics and the Tiv traditional ruler. The visit comes amid escalating violence targeting Christian communities in the region, which has drawn international concern and calls for urgent action.
The American team, comprising officials from the US Embassy in Nigeria and representatives from human rights organizations, held a series of discussions aimed at understanding the root causes of the persistent attacks and exploring collaborative interventions to restore peace. The delegation met personally with senior clergy members and His Royal Highness, the Tor Tiv, who is the paramount traditional ruler of the Tiv people, to hear firsthand accounts of the violence and its impact on local communities.
During the discussions, the clerics detailed distressing incidents of assaults on churches, abductions, and killings targeting Christians, highlighting the toll these attacks have taken on their congregations' safety and spiritual life. The Tiv ruler echoed these concerns, emphasizing the need for stronger government and security responses and community-based peacebuilding efforts to curb the menace.
The US delegation reaffirmed America's commitment to supporting Nigeria in addressing religious violence and protecting vulnerable communities. They expressed the readiness to assist through capacity building for local security agencies, promoting interfaith dialogue, and funding community development projects aimed at fostering tolerance and reconciliation.
This high-level meeting underscores the increasing international awareness of the security challenges in Benue State, a region grappling with complex ethnic and religious tensions. It also signals a strategic partnership between Nigerian traditional and religious institutions and foreign stakeholders working towards sustainable peace.
Officials from the United States highlighted that addressing such attacks requires a multi-dimensional approach, including improved intelligence sharing, holistic community engagement, and addressing underlying socio-economic grievances. They pledged to relay concerns and recommendations from Benue to Washington, advocating for enhanced bilateral cooperation on security matters.
The encounter ended with a shared resolve among Nigerian and US representatives to prioritize the protection of Christian communities and all citizens affected by violence in Benue, aiming to restore normalcy and promote coexistence in this volatile area.