Washington has moved to tie U.S. aid to Nigeria’s response to religious violence, with the House of Representatives passing a spending bill that could halt assistance over alleged attacks targeting Christians and other vulnerable communities. The measure would withhold all foreign aid until the U.S. government certifies that Abuja is taking “measurable actions … to protect Christian communities suffering from religious violence”.
Representative Riley Moore drafted the legislation with several other Republican lawmakers and introduced it in the House in April. In December 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump accused Nigeria’s government of failing to safeguard Christians, describing the crisis as a “Christian genocide”. Nigerian authorities have repeatedly rejected that characterization, arguing that violence across the country has claimed victims among Christians and Muslims alike.
Despite the dispute, the two countries have carried out successful joint counter-terrorism operations in recent months. One such operation resulted in the elimination of Abubakar Mainok, also known as Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, a senior commander of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
