Terror attacks: US lawmakers move to block all aid to Nigeria

By Tolulope Oke

The United States House of Representatives has approved an amendment seeking to withhold 100 per cent of assistance to Nigeria until the Federal Government takes effective action against terrorism and other violent attacks.

The amendment, sponsored by Florida Republican lawmaker Gregory Steube, was adopted by a voice vote on Wednesday.

An earlier proposal sought to withhold 50 per cent of funds appropriated for Nigeria until the US Secretary of State certified that the country had taken concrete steps to prevent violence and prosecute those responsible.

Steube, however, argued that withholding only half of the assistance amounted to rewarding the Nigerian government despite continuing security challenges.

“I rise in strong support of my amendment to increase the withholding threshold for assistance to Nigeria from 50 per cent to 100 per cent,” he said.

According to the lawmaker, Nigeria has witnessed sustained attacks against Christians and other religious minorities, with extremists allegedly operating without sufficient consequences.

He accused the Nigerian government of failing to adequately protect vulnerable communities and confront those responsible for terrorism and religious persecution.

“If the aid conditions included in the bill are important enough to withhold half of all the funding to the Nigerian government, then they are important enough to withhold all of the funding,” Steube added.

He maintained that American taxpayers’ money should not be released to governments that fail to meet basic security and religious-freedom obligations.

The lawmaker also cited the United States’ rising national debt, arguing that foreign assistance must be used to advance American interests and values.

The amendment would still need to survive the remaining legislative process before the proposed funding restriction can take effect.