The United States House of Representatives has passed a bill seeking to withhold all US aid and assistance to Nigeria until the Federal Government takes effective steps to address insecurity, prevent violence and hold perpetrators accountable.
The amendment, sponsored by Republican Congressman Gregory Steube of Florida’s 17th Congressional District, was approved by a voice vote on Wednesday.
It increases the proposed withholding of US assistance to Nigeria from 50 per cent to 100 per cent.
The House had initially proposed in April that half of the funds appropriated for Nigeria be withheld 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.”
Speaking during debate on the amendment, Steube argued that withholding only half of the aid would amount to rewarding the Nigerian government despite its failure to tackle insecurity.
“I rise in strong support for my amendment to increase the withholding threshold for assistance to Nigeria, from 50 percent to 100 percent, while keeping in place benchmarks that demand Nigeria take effective steps to address the violence and persecution that continue to devastate the country,” he said.
“Nigeria has faced a horrific wave of violence that its corrupt government has failed to address.
“For years, and especially in recent months, Christians and other religious minorities in Nigeria have been subjected to violence and terrorism at the hands of extremists operating with impunity.
“Christian women and girls continue to be abducted, assaulted, tortured, and killed. Their churches are burned, and entire communities are erased.
“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.
“The generosity of our taxpayers is a reflection of the American values we hold so firmly. Never should we allow their hard-earned tax dollars to be funnelled to corrupt regimes that fail to uphold religious freedom, fail to adequately confront terrorism, and fail to protect the innocent from persecution.
“So, why are we rewarding a government that fails to meet such a basic obligation?”
Steube also said it was difficult to justify continued US foreign assistance to Nigeria amid rising insecurity and America’s growing national debt, which he said was nearing $40 trillion.
According to him, the amendment would ensure that US assistance is used as leverage to encourage Nigeria to protect its citizens, confront terrorism and uphold religious freedom.
The proposed legislation must still be considered by the US Senate and signed by the President before it can take effect
