Tinubu pouring millions of dollars instead of addressing US concern; we know govt officials behind killings in Nigeria – Sen Ted Cruz

US Senator Ted Cruz has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of pouring millions into American lobbyists rather than tackling growing US concerns over insecurity and attacks on Christians in Nigeria.

US Senator Ted Cruz says spending millions on public relations cannot cover up Nigeria’s security crisis. He claims US officials know those responsible for enabling deadly attacks and are pushing for accountability.

Cruz said Nigerian officials created conditions that enable mass violence against Christians and other religious minorities by enforcing blasphemy and Sharia laws while ignoring jihadist atrocities.

He noted that the US government knows the officials responsible and that he has been advancing legislation to sanction them. President Trump has also ordered military action on the issue.

Instead of addressing those American concerns, Cruz charged, Nigerian officials launched a public relations campaign against critics. He expressed satisfaction that the US House had rejected their approach by voting to withhold all US assistance to Nigeria until effective steps are taken against the violence.

Documents filed with the US Department of Justice show that in December last year Nigeria engaged DCI Group, a Washington based public affairs and lobbying firm, under a nine-million-dollar contract.

The deal was arranged through Aster Legal, a Kaduna law firm, on behalf of National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu. The contract, which includes monthly payments of seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars and an initial four point five-million-dollar retainer, aims to communicate Nigeria’s efforts to protect Christian communities and sustain US support against West African jihadist groups.

The engagement came months after Trump designated Nigeria a country of particular concern over religious freedom violations. Cruz has long sponsored the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act seeking sanctions on officials he links to the facilitation of Christian murders.

The Nigerian government has consistently denied claims that it condones or enables religious persecution, insisting terrorists kill people of all faiths and that it is taking steps to confront insecurity.