American legislator criticizes Nigerian president's administration for attaching strings to security assistance

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A United States lawmaker, Riley Moore has criticised the administration of President Bola Tinubu, accusing it of failing to meet conditions tied to US security assistance.

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Moore, who represents West Virginia’s 2nd District, made his position known in a post on X on Wednesday, urging US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to consider the issue when making future funding decisions.

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“In my view, the Tinubu administration has failed to live up to the conditions the appropriations committee placed on security assistance. I urge @SecRubio to take this into account in administering both FY26 and FY27 funding,” he wrote.

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FY26 and FY27 refer to the United States’ federal budget cycles that determine foreign assistance allocations, including military and security cooperation packages extended to partner countries such as Nigeria.

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US security assistance to Nigeria typically includes military training, intelligence support, equipment supply, and counter-terrorism collaboration aimed at addressing insurgency, banditry, and organised crime.

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Such assistance, however, is usually subject to strict conditions, including accountability in the use of funds, adherence to human rights standards, and measurable progress in tackling insecurity.

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Moore’s latest remarks follow earlier criticism in which he questioned the impact of US military support to Nigeria, particularly in the face of persistent violence in parts of the country.

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