The United States House of Representatives has approved an amendment to increase the withholding of certain US assistance to Nigeria from 50 percent to 100 percent until the Nigerian government demonstrates effective action to tackle insecurity and better protect its citizens.
The amendment, sponsored by Representative Gregory Steube of Florida’s 17th Congressional District, was adopted through a voice vote on Wednesday.
The House had initially proposed withholding 50 percent of funds appropriated for Nigeria until the US Secretary of State certifies that the Nigerian government has taken effective steps to prevent and respond to violence and hold perpetrators accountable.
However, the newly approved amendment raises the withholding to 100 percent while maintaining the same conditions for the release of the assistance.
Speaking in support of the proposal, Steube argued that withholding only half of the aid effectively rewards the Nigerian government despite what he described as its failure to fulfil its primary responsibility of protecting its citizens.
“I rise in strong support of my amendment to increase the withholding threshold for assistance to Nigeria from 50 percent to 100 percent, while keeping in place benchmarks that require Nigeria to take effective steps to address the violence and persecution that continue to devastate the country,” he said.
The Republican lawmaker accused the Nigerian government of failing to confront escalating violence and terrorism, alleging that Christians and other religious minorities have continued to suffer attacks by extremist groups.
According to him, Christian women and girls have been abducted, assaulted, tortured and killed, while churches have been destroyed and entire communities wiped out.
Steube maintained that if the conditions attached to the aid package are significant enough to justify withholding half of the funding, they should also warrant withholding all of it until Nigeria meets the required benchmarks.
“The generosity of American taxpayers reflects our values. Their hard-earned tax dollars should not be funnelled to corrupt regimes that fail to uphold religious freedom, fail to confront terrorism adequately, and fail to protect innocent people from persecution,” he said.
Questioning continued US assistance to Nigeria amid worsening insecurity, Steube added that it was unjustifiable to spend American foreign aid in the country while the United States faces a national debt approaching $40 trillion.
