The United States House Appropriations Committee has introduced a bill that would place conditions on financial support to Nigeria until the government address the violent attacks in parts of the country.
The proposal is part of a broader spending plan covering national security, the State Department, and related programmes for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2027.
The proposed legislation stipulates that less than 15 percent of a $6.89 billion allocation should be set aside for security-related investments across Africa.
It also proposes $205 million for democracy programmes and $5 billion for international humanitarian aid, while $870 million is earmarked for anti-terrorism efforts.
A key provision targets Nigeria directly, stating that 50 percent of funds meant for the country can’t be released unless the US Secretary of State confirms that the Nigerian government takes “effective steps to prevent and respond to violence and hold perpetrators accountable”.
The bill further explains that any funds made available to Nigeria should be used for “advancing religious freedom and investigations and prosecutions of violence committed by Fulani militia groups, jihadist terror groups, and criminal gangs”.
The legislation requires the Secretary of State to present a clear plan on how the funds allocated to Nigeria would be used.
Part of the bills reads: “CERTIFICATION.—Of the funds appropriated under titles III and IV of this Act that are made available for assistance for the central Government of Nigeria, 50 percent may not be obligated until the Secretary of State certifies to the Committees on Appropriations that such Government is—
“ (A) taking effective steps to prevent and respond to violence and hold perpetrators accountable;
“(B) prioritizing resources to support victims of such violence, including internally displaced persons;
“(C) actively facilitating the safe return, resettlement, and reconstruction of communities impacted by the violence; and
“(D) allocating sufficient resources to address the conditions in subparagraphs (A) through (C).”
A copy of the bill can be seen here.
Although the document does not state the exact amount Nigeria would receive, it makes clear that access to the funds would depend on meeting these requirements.
Reacting to the proposal, Riley Moore, a member of the US house of representatives criticised the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
He accused Tinubu’s government of spending heavily on lobbying efforts in Washington congress “while failing to adequately address the genocide Nigerian Christians face daily”.
Moore said the US should not “turn a blind eye to the brutal persecution of our Nigerian brothers and sisters in Christ”.
KanyiDaily recalls that US Senator Ted Cruz precious accused Nigerian government officials of being complicit in the killings of Christians and the destruction of churches in the country
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