United States Senator Ted Cruz has accused Nigerian officials of prioritising image management in Washington rather than addressing concerns over insecurity and violence against Christians and other religious minorities.
The Texas Republican made the remarks on Wednesday in reaction to a recent amendment passed by the US House of Representatives seeking to increase restrictions on American assistance to Nigeria.
Cruz argued that the Nigerian government's decision to engage a US lobbying firm was an attempt to counter criticism instead of directly responding to concerns raised by American lawmakers.
"Nigerian officials have created an environment that facilitates mass violence against Christians and religious minorities by imposing blasphemy and Sharia laws and looking the other way at jihadist atrocities," the senator wrote on X.
He added that he had continued to push for sanctions against officials he believes bear responsibility for policies affecting religious freedom in Nigeria.
"Instead of responding to American concerns, Nigerian officials waged a public relations campaign against critics," he said.
The comments came after the US House approved an amendment that would raise the withholding of assistance to Nigeria from 50 per cent to 100 per cent until the country takes what lawmakers described as effective steps to prevent and respond to violence within its territory. The measure was adopted through a voice vote last week.
Nigeria's lobbying arrangement became public following documents filed with the US Department of Justice under the Foreign Agents Registration Act. The filings showed that DCI Group, a Washington-based public affairs and lobbying firm, was engaged under a contract reportedly worth $9 million.
The agreement was executed in December through Aster Legal, a Kaduna-based law firm, on behalf of the Office of the National Security Adviser headed by Nuhu Ribadu. The stated objective was to communicate Nigeria's efforts to protect Christians and strengthen engagement with US policymakers.
The contract was signed months after President Donald Trump designated Nigeria a "country of particular concern" over religious freedom issues, a move that intensified scrutiny of the country's security situation.
Cruz has been one of the strongest advocates for tougher US measures against Nigeria. In October 2025, he introduced the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act, which seeks sanctions against Nigerian officials alleged to have failed to protect Christians and other religious minorities.
The senator is not alone in questioning Nigeria's lobbying efforts. Earlier this year, Congressman Chris Smith, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, said the contracts reflected what he described as a continued culture of denial among Nigerian officials regarding the scale of the country's security challenges.
Separate filings also showed that Valcour Global Public Strategy, another Washington-based lobbying firm, was retained by Matthew Tonlagha, Vice-Chairman of Tantita Security Services, for the stated purpose of strengthening bilateral relations between Nigeria and the United States.
While US lawmakers continue to press for stronger action, Nigerian authorities have repeatedly stated that they are intensifying military operations and broader security reforms to combat terrorism, banditry and other forms of violent crime across the country.
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