A United States lawmaker, Riley Moore, has criticised the administration of President Bola Tinubu over alleged failure to meet conditions tied to American security assistance to Nigeria.
Moore, who represents West Virginia’s 2nd District, made his position known in a post on Wednesday, calling on the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, to take the issue into account in future funding decisions.
He expressed concern that the Nigerian government had not fulfilled requirements set by US lawmakers as part of appropriations for security support.
The congressman urged that the development be considered in the allocation of funds for the 2026 and 2027 fiscal years, which cover the next budget cycles for US foreign assistance.
The funding in question includes security cooperation between both countries, such as military training, supply of equipment, intelligence sharing and counter-terrorism efforts aimed at addressing insurgency, banditry and organised crime.
Such assistance is typically subject to approval by the United States Congress and is often tied to conditions including adherence to human rights standards, accountability in fund utilisation and measurable progress in tackling insecurity.
Moore’s remarks add to his earlier criticisms of Nigeria’s handling of security challenges, particularly violence affecting religious communities.
In previous statements, he alleged that continued attacks on Christian communities persisted despite years of US support, warning that failure to address the situation could worsen the crisis.
However, the Federal Government has consistently rejected claims of targeted religious persecution, maintaining that insecurity in the country affects citizens across religious lines and is driven by broader criminal and insurgent activities.
The Defence Headquarters has also maintained that military cooperation with the United States does not compromise Nigeria’s sovereignty and comes at no financial cost to the country.