...as Lawmakers slam Tinubu over $9m lobby
United States Representative Riley Moore has cautioned that promoting separatist movements in Nigeria could aggravate insecurity and place Christians, particularly in the north and Middle Belt, at greater risk.
In a statement shared on his official X account on Saturday, Moore said he recently visited Nigeria on a fact-finding mission to assess reports of Christian persecution. During the visit, he met with government officials, church leaders, humanitarian organisations and internally displaced persons (IDPs) to better understand the situation on the ground.
“I have travelled to Nigeria and engaged in multiple high-level meetings with Nigerian officials, the Church, aid groups across the country, and IDPs to get a better understanding of the rampant persecution of Christians in Nigeria,” Moore said.
He noted that calls for dividing Nigeria did not arise in any serious form during his engagements.
“In my discussions, the idea of dividing the country has not come up in any serious way. Efforts to embolden separatists hurt Christians in Nigeria – especially in the north and Middle Belt,” he added.
Moore warned that destabilising Nigeria would only strengthen terrorist groups and worsen the vulnerability of Christians across the country and beyond.
“A destabilised Nigeria would embolden terrorists and make Christians less safe in Nigeria and across the continent,” he said.
The lawmaker also highlighted recent security cooperation between Nigeria and the United States as a constructive step toward addressing violence and strengthening bilateral ties.
“The US and Nigeria have just entered into a security cooperation agreement, and that is an important step in tackling the violence in Nigeria and deepening and strengthening the bilateral relationship between our great nations,” Moore stated.
He reaffirmed his commitment to supporting all Nigerians affected by terrorism. “I remain committed to working to save the lives of our brothers and sisters in Christ – and, for that matter, all Nigerians – suffering from the instability wrought by terrorists throughout Nigeria,” he said.
During his visit, Moore met with Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang, describing their discussion as “substantive and forward-looking,” with a focus on enhancing cooperation to address insecurity and protect vulnerable communities in the Middle Belt.
Meanwhile, concerns over religious freedom in Nigeria were revisited during a congressional hearing in Washington, DC, on Wednesday. US lawmakers examined countries where religious freedom is believed to be under threat – an assessment Nigerian authorities have consistently disputed.
Chris Smith, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, cited Genocide Watch in describing Nigeria as “a killing field of defenceless Christians.”
“That wrong in our foreign policy has been righted with the President’s CPC designation. We commend and thank him for that action,” Smith said.
Although he acknowledged what he described as incremental efforts by Nigeria to improve religious freedom, Smith criticised recent lobbying contracts aimed at influencing US perceptions.
Nigeria reportedly hired DCI Group in December under a $9 million contract to present its efforts to protect Christians to US officials. In the same period, Matthew Tonlagha, vice-chairman of Tantita Security Services, retained Valcour Global Public Strategy to help strengthen US–Nigeria relations.
Smith argued that such engagements reflected “a culture of denial” among Nigerian officials.
“They hire these firms; they come up with very well-written talking points to say there is nothing to see here, and unfortunately these firms are very effective at advocating for their client,” he said.
Another lawmaker, Joaquin Castro, questioned the impact of US actions in Nigeria last year. He accused the Donald Trump administration of invoking the narrative of protecting Christians while reducing assistance programmes aimed at addressing discrimination against religious communities.
Lawmakers also debated Nigeria’s redesignation as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), with some describing it as largely symbolic, while others said it had helped draw renewed international attention to the situation in Nigeria.