United States Senator Ted Cruz has accused the administration of President Bola Tinubu of using lobbying efforts in the United States to downplay the ongoing killings of Christians and the worsening security situation in Nigeria.
Cruz criticised the Nigerian government’s decision to hire a public relations and lobbying firm to communicate its efforts at protecting Christians, describing the move as an attempt to divert attention from growing international concerns over insecurity in the country.
His comments came amid separate allegations by former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timi Frank, who claimed that the Presidency was misleading Nigerians by portraying a reported letter from U.S. President Donald Trump as an endorsement of President Tinubu’s administration.
Nigeria reportedly signed a $9 million lobbying agreement with U.S.-based public affairs firm DCI Group in December last year, months after the country was designated a “Country of Particular Concern” by President Donald Trump over religious freedom issues.
Documents filed with the U.S. Department of Justice indicate that Kaduna-based law firm Aster Legal engaged DCI Group on behalf of the Office of the National Security Adviser, led by Nuhu Ribadu.
The contract was aimed at communicating Nigeria’s security efforts to the U.S. government, even as American lawmakers continued to push for stronger action against violence affecting Christians and other religious minorities.
Cruz, who introduced the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025, maintained that Nigerian officials had failed to adequately address attacks on Christians and other vulnerable groups.
In a post on X, the senator alleged that Nigerian authorities had created conditions that allowed violence against Christians and religious minorities to persist through the enforcement of blasphemy and Sharia laws while failing to confront jihadist attacks effectively.
He argued that instead of responding to international concerns, Nigerian officials chose to launch a public relations campaign to defend their record.
Cruz’s remarks followed the passage of an amendment by the U.S. House of Representatives that seeks to increase the withholding of U.S. assistance to Nigeria from 50 percent to 100 percent until the country takes effective steps to prevent and respond to violence within its borders.
The amendment was approved through a voice vote, reflecting growing concern among American lawmakers over Nigeria’s security challenges.
House Foreign Affairs Africa Subcommittee Chairman Chris Smith also criticised Nigeria’s lobbying activities, saying they reflected what he described as a continued culture of denial among Nigerian officials.
Separately, Washington-based lobbying firm Valcour Global Public Strategy was reportedly hired by Matthew Tonlagha, Vice Chairman of Tantita Security Services, to strengthen bilateral relations between Nigeria and the United States.
Meanwhile, Timi Frank alleged that the Presidency was attempting to create a false impression by presenting a reported letter from President Trump as an endorsement of President Tinubu’s government.
According to Frank, the correspondence was merely a routine diplomatic communication acknowledging security cooperation between Nigeria and the United States and should not be interpreted as political support for Tinubu.
He challenged the Presidency to publish the original document, arguing that if it were an official communication from the White House, it should bear the White House seal and President Trump’s signature.
Frank also maintained that the reported letter made no reference to endorsing Tinubu’s leadership, economic policies or any future political ambitions, insisting that it only recognised Nigeria’s cooperation with the United States on security matters.
He further questioned why the document, reportedly dated July 6, only became public weeks later if it truly represented a significant diplomatic development.
The former APC spokesman also criticised reports that Nigeria had spent millions of dollars on lobbying firms in the United States to improve its international image, arguing that governments with strong credibility do not rely heavily on expensive public relations campaigns.
According to him, genuine international respect is earned through transparency, accountability, democratic governance and effective leadership rather than through lobbying or diplomatic correspondence.
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