A United States lawmaker, Riley Moore, has accused the Nigerian government of failing to protect Christian communities despite receiving billions of dollars in military assistance from Washington.
Moore, in a statement released on Thursday, expressed concern over what he described as Nigeria’s persistent religiously motivated attacks and the government’s inability to curb violence against Christians, particularly in the northern and Middle Belt regions.
He said it was “deeply troubling” that despite years of military funding, training, and equipment provided by the U.S., killings, abductions, and church burnings have continued unabated.
“The Nigerian government has not demonstrated sufficient accountability or results to justify the level of American military support it continues to receive,” Moore stated.
“We cannot continue to fund a system that fails to safeguard fundamental human rights, especially the right to worship freely.”
The lawmaker called on the U.S. Congress to reassess its defense partnerships with Nigeria and to consider conditioning future aid on measurable improvements in human rights protection and religious freedom.
Moore’s remarks come amid growing criticism from international advocacy groups and religious organizations accusing Nigerian authorities of turning a blind eye to attacks by extremist groups and armed militias targeting Christian communities.