The United States House of Representatives has approved a legislative amendment that seeks to increase the withholding of specified US aid to Nigeria from 50 percent to a complete 100 percent, until the nation implements decisive measures to halt violence and safeguard its population.
The legislative change, introduced by Representative Gregory Steube, was adopted through a voice vote on Wednesday.
Prior to this update, the House had drafted a proposal to freeze half of the designated funding for Nigeria. Under that initial plan, the US Secretary of State would have to certify that the Nigerian government has taken “effective steps to prevent and respond to violence and hold perpetrators accountable” before any funds could be cleared. The newly approved adjustment raises that penalty to a total block of all funds while maintaining those identical certification terms. NigerianSecurity Information
Defending his proposal, Steube argued that withholding a mere 50 percent of the financial aid essentially rewards the Nigerian administration “despite failure to meet its fundamental obligation to protect citizens”.
In his address supporting the motion, Steube stated, “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 further criticized the local security situation, asserting, “Nigeria has faced a horrific wave of violence that its corrupt government has failed to address.”