WASHINGTON, D.C. – United States Congressman Riley Moore has attributed the escalating insecurity in Nigeria to a profound loss of public trust in its government, urging closer cooperation with the U.S. to address the crisis.
Moore's remarks were made during a Thursday hearing of the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Africa, which is reviewing the decision to designate Nigeria as a "Country of Particular Concern" (CPC).
He argued that this distrust is a direct consequence of the government's failure to protect its citizens, pointing to specific incidents where authorities ignored credible threats.
"The Nigerian people have lost confidence in their government," Moore stated. "How can you trust a government that does not act when called upon?"
To illustrate his point, the Congressman cited a case from Plateau State, where a pastor reportedly alerted officials to an imminent attack. "Not only was the warning ignored, but the government dismissed it as fake news," Moore said, emphasizing the breakdown in security responsiveness.
The Congressman called for concrete action, stating, "The Nigerian authorities must cooperate with the U.S. to address these security challenges." Moore is scheduled to meet with senior Nigerian officials to discuss the security crisis and the CPC designation, with the aim of forging coordinated strategies to protect vulnerable communities.