The United States Department of State has said it is deepening counterterrorism cooperation with the Nigerian government and security agencies amid ongoing concerns about insecurity and violence affecting communities across the country, including attacks that have impacted Christian populations.

In a video shared by the State Department, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington is actively working with Nigerian authorities on counterterrorism efforts as part of broader security cooperation between the two countries. He noted that concerns expressed by various groups regarding violence against Christians in Nigeria have contributed to increased engagement on security matters.

“On Nigeria, where many were very concerned about violence against Christians, we are now actively cooperating in counterterrorism with the Nigerian government and Nigerian security forces,” Rubio said in the video.

The statement comes amid an expansion of U.S.-Nigeria security collaboration in recent months. In May, Nigerian and U.S. forces carried out a joint operation in Borno State that Nigerian authorities said resulted in the killing of more than 20 Islamic State-linked militants, including a senior commander of the group. The operation was described by both governments as a significant step in ongoing efforts to combat terrorism in the region.

The United States has also increased its support through intelligence sharing, military training, and advisory assistance aimed at helping Nigeria confront threats posed by groups such as Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), and other armed factions operating in parts of the country.

Security challenges in Nigeria have remained a subject of international attention, particularly in the North-East and parts of the North-West, where insurgent attacks, banditry, kidnappings, and communal violence have claimed thousands of lives and displaced large numbers of people.

While some U.S. politicians and advocacy groups have framed parts of the violence as targeting Christians, Nigerian officials and several analysts have argued that the country’s security crisis is more complex, affecting both Christian and Muslim communities and involving a mix of terrorism, criminality, communal conflicts, and resource-related disputes.

Nigeria and the United States have repeatedly pledged to strengthen cooperation on counterterrorism, intelligence sharing, and the protection of civilians as both countries seek to address the evolving security threats facing Africa’s most populous nation.