Alleged Christian Genocide: Again, US Slams Tinubu's Govt as Details Emerge
- The US Congress criticised Nigeria’s $9m lobbying deal in Washington over human rights concerns
- Lawmakers warned that lobbying contracts appeared to downplay violence against Christians in Nigeria
- US experts questioned the effectiveness of military action and highlighted failures of the Nigerian government
The United States Congress has sharply criticised Nigeria’s reported $9 million lobbying contract in Washington, D.C., warning that the deal appears aimed at downplaying serious human rights and religious freedom concerns in the country.
The concerns were raised on Wednesday, February, 4, during a joint hearing of the House Subcommittee on Africa and the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, titled Defending Religious Freedom Around the World.
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The session featured testimony from former US Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, Sam Brownback, and former chair of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), Dr Stephen Schneck.
Chairman of the Africa Subcommittee, Chris Smith, highlighted Nigeria’s designation as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) under the International Religious Freedom Act, describing it as “long overdue” given years of deadly attacks against Christian communities.
“I just want to say to my colleagues that I am deeply concerned that Nigeria has hired the lobbying firm DCI Group, to the tune of $9 million, $750,000 a month.
“And a Nigerian billionaire has entered into a $120,000-a-month contract with Washington-based consulting firm Valcour, to influence Congress and the Executive Branch," Smith said.
He added that the contracts appeared to produce “very well-written talking points to say nothing to see here,” warning that such lobbying may obscure the scale of violence and human rights abuses.
Debate over the nature of violence in Nigeria
Ranking Member Sara Jacobs criticised what she described as an overly narrow focus on Christian persecution. She noted that US foreign assistance to Nigeria, including programmes supporting faith leaders and conflict-affected communities, had been significantly cut.
“Despite the administration’s apparent interest in addressing conflict and religious tensions in Nigeria, it has cut hundreds of millions of dollars in foreign assistance to Nigeria, including assistance to faith leaders and to communities experiencing violence in the Middle Belt,” Jacobs said.
She cautioned against oversimplifying the crisis along religious lines. “The violence in Nigeria is complex, affecting both Christians and Muslims, and the drivers of this violence are multifaceted and cannot be reduced to a single framing,” she said.
Military action under scrutiny
The lawmakers also examined recent US military strikes in Sokoto State. Dr Schneck criticised the cost of the operations, warning they may have strengthened militant groups rather than protected communities.
“In fact, the cost of the Tomahawk missiles that were sent probably exceeded the amount of money that had previously been going to Nigeria to improve interfaith relations and provide humanitarian assistance,” Schneck said.
Brownback also argued that the CPC designation must be backed by sanctions to have any real impact, calling “name and shame” measures insufficient without concrete consequences.
“This government has not given us any reason to trust them,” Brownback added, describing the Nigerian administration as failing to protect vulnerable communities.
Background of lobbying contracts
Documents show that the Federal Government, through Kaduna-based Aster Legal and the office of National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, engaged DCI Group on 17 December 2025 to advocate for Nigeria’s efforts to protect Christians.
Separately, billionaire Matthew Tonlagha signed a six-month, $120,000-per-month contract with US lobbying firm Valcour to influence US media, Congress, and the Trump administration. The firm is led by Matt Mowers, a former State Department adviser. Tonlagha serves as vice-president of Tantita Security Services, linked to a former leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta.
US government highlights concerns
While US President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed Christians in Nigeria face genocide and threatened military intervention, the Federal Government has rejected such claims, insisting that Nigeria faces serious security challenges but not genocide.
Despite these tensions, US Africa Command, in collaboration with President Bola Tinubu’s administration, carried out airstrikes on 25 December targeting terrorist positions in Sokoto State.
The hearing underscores growing US scrutiny of Nigeria’s human rights record and highlights the complex interplay between security, religious freedom, and international lobbying efforts.
Trump speaks on delayed 'deadly' strike in Nigeria
Previous, Legit.ng reported that the United States President, Donald Trump, has said he personally ordered the delay of a planned US airstrike against Islamic State-linked militants in Nigeria.
The US president said that he made the order so it could be carried out around Christmas, describing the military operation as a “Christmas present”.
Source: Legit.ng
